Hypertension Knowledge among Non-Academic Employees of Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

The impact of hypertension remains a profound public health problem yet adequate knowledge on its etiology, risk factors and prevention remains poor in most developing countries of the globe. The essence of this study is thus, aimed to assess hypertension knowledge among non-academic employees in a university community of Bayelsa state, Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was employed to assess the knowledge on etiology, risk factors and prevention of hypertension among non-academic employees of Niger Delta University Wilberforce island, Bayelsa state, Nigeria. A total of hundred participants who gave consent participated in the study. The participants were made up of (53%) females and 47% males with mean age of 38.4 years. Results reveals most of the employees (73%) taught etiology of hypertension to be caused by excessive thinking, worries or stress while 27% could not decipher this fact. The result also reveals, 59% of them were able to tell that hypertension could have a hereditary basis. High fat diet, smoking and alcohol were identified as risk factors by 80, 45 and 43% of the respondents, respectively showing poor knowledge on risk factor despite the ability of most of them (72%) to identify that high salt diet is a risk factor of hypertension. Result further revealed that 65% of the participants do not know that the management of hypertension is for life and further 30% do not know that hypertension cannot be cured once in a lifetime. About 80 and 75% of the participants showed adequate knowledge on BP measuring and monitoring and regular intake of drug whereas 80% did not know that weight lost strategies are essential in controlling high blood pressure. Based on this findings it could be concluded that hypertension knowledge among non academic employees is sub optima. Thus, strengthening the knowledge base on hypertension remains the panacea to adequate management and prevention of the health and the economic burden of hypertension.