ENPOWERMENT AND QUALITY OF LIFE HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS FOLLOWED IN HEALTH CENTERS IN CITY OF PARAIA IN CAPE VERDE

Abstract

Introduction: Hypertension (HBP) is considered a serious public health problem because it is associated with the appearance of disastrous health consequences that constitute the main cause of death in Cape Verde. In view of its negative impact on the health of populations, there is a need for hypertensive patients to have good training, achieve blood pressure control and present a high adherence to therapy in order to have a good quality of life.

Objectives: Assess the empowerment and quality of life of patients suffering from arterial hypertension followed up in the health centers of the city of Praia and compare the empowerment of patients suffering from arterial hypertension with the perspective of doctors, in the consultation for Arterial Hypertension control.
Methodology: Observational, cross-sectional study in a quasi-random sample of hypertensive patients followed at the 5 Health Centers in the city of Praia, Cape Verde, using the CapHTA questionnaire for patients and physicians and EQ-5D questionnaire in a sample of minimum size calculated for representativeness.

Results: A sample of 110 hypertensive patients was studied, predominantly female, n=74 (67.3%), with mean age of 59.5+/- 11.4 and with low academic education. For 74.3% of the patients, the notion of having their blood pressure (BP) controlled was verified, with no significant differences between this considered control and the global result of the CapHTA scale for patients and age. There are worse results regarding the time of action and elimination of the drug and possible drug interactions in the reduction of the antihypertensive effect. There was a strong negative and significant correlation between the CapHTA scale for patients and CapHTA for doctors (p= -0.863, p<0.001) and a strong positive and significant correlation between the CapHTA scale for patients and the EQ-5D scale on quality of life (p=0.887, p<0.001).

Conclusion: The results of this study suggest the importance of doctors empowering patients to manage the disease by regularly checking and correcting knowledge. Doctors should use the ́ ́teach-back ́ ́ model in each consultation, as information on arterial hypertension and its treatment is scarce.