A Study Of Aged Hypertension Patients’Knowledge Of Hypertension, Behavior,and Economic Burden

[Objective] Through field investigation, to understand elderly hypertension patients’ related knowledge and behavior, calculate economic burden of disease in elderly patients with hypertension, analyze patients’misconceptions concerning about related knowledge and the presence of adverse health behaviors, explore related knowledge and the influential factors of behavior among elderly patients with hypertension, and put forward effective measures to further improve elderly patients’knowledge and enhance their self care behavior.[Methods] Residents at Mingguang road community of Station street and Qilitang community of Qilitang street at Hefei were selected, and15%hypertension patients were randomly selected as investigation object through access to data of patients with hypertension aged60and above obtained from community health service center. By using self-made "KAP of hypertension patients in city community and economic burden questionnaire", the investigators went into the community, using interview and measurement to collect data in2011August-October. The investigation content includes investigation object demographic characteristics, hypertension related knowledge and the three parts of health behavior:measurements of height, weight and blood pressure. Hypertension related knowledge was composed of10questions, with each question1points for a correct answer,0points for a wrong answer. Hypertension related knowledge score ranged from0to10. Epidata3.0was used to establish database and input data; Spssl3.0statistical analysis software for analysis; and analytical methods for t test, analysis of variance, correlation analysis and Logistic regression analysis. [Results] The score for the subjects’hypertension knowledge was6+2.061;92.1%of the respondents gave the correct answer to the question " hypertension may develop into what disease?"; only18.3%of the respondents gave the right answer to the question "" when blood pressure is stable, is it necessary to continue to take the medicine?" The score for the subjects’health behavior was6.47+/-1.884;87.2%;89.6%of the respondents can accomplish "stick to fat reduction"," insist on taking antihypertensive drugs"; only the23.2%-28.7%respondents can " often communicate with patient about self-help activities" and" often do self measurement of blood pressure". Logistic regression analysis showed:age and education level are the main factors which influenced the elderly patients’hypertension knowledge score; gender and education level are the main factors influencing the elderly patients’self care behavior. The subjects’per capita for two week visit outpatient costed211.5yuan (including average per capita191.6yuan for two week visit for hypertension); The subjects’per capita hospitalization expenses during the first half was2135.7yuan (including1448.5yuan per capita inpatient during during the first half because of hypertensive disease).[Conclusion] The elderly hypertension patients still have misconceptions about high blood pressure; self-care behaviors need to be improved; age and education level are important factors which affect the elderly patients’hypertension knowledge; gender and education are important factors which influence the patients’health behavior; and the elderly patients’economic burden is heavy. Recommendations:the community health education should be actively carried out; the elderly hypertension patients’ self-prevention awareness should be enhanced; standardized management for hypertension in community should be strengthened; and manipulations of medical institutions should be regulated.