Relationship between Lifestyle Modification Counselling and Lifestyle Pattern in Hypertensive Patients attending the Family Medicine Clinic of a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria

T. I. A. Oseni, B. A. Suleiman, B. F. Dele-Ojo, N. F. Fuh, G. Ibhasabemon, O. S. Oyewusi

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Globally, hypertension is a leading cause of
cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The use of nonpharmacological
methods such as lifestyle modification has been shown to improve blood pressure control; however,
compliance among the patients has been poor. This study
determined the association between lifestyle modification
counselling and lifestyle pattern of patients with hypertension
attending the Family Medicine Clinic of Irrua Specialist
Teaching Hospital (ISTH), Edo state of Nigeria.

METHODS: It was a descriptive cross-sectional study
conducted in the Family Medicine Clinic of ISTH, a tertiary
health institution in South-South Nigeria. A total of 192 adult
patients with hypertension were consecutively recruited. Data
was collected using the open data kit with an interviewer-based
questionnaire. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package
for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22 and p<0.05 was considered
significant.

RESULTS: Respondents had a mean age of 51.7 ± 11.36.
Majority of respondents 163 (83%) received counselling on
lifestyle modification within the preceding 12 months. There
was a significant association between age of respondents
(p = 0.003), fruit and vegetable consumption (p < 0.001), smoking
cessation (p< 0.001) and lifestyle modification counselling
received.

CONCLUSION: The study highlights the importance of
lifestyle modification counselling to patients with hypertension.
Physicians should routinely counsel patients on lifestyle
modification as part of the treatment protocol for patients with
hypertension. WAJM 2022; 39(3): 281–285.

Keywords: Counselling, Lifestyle, Hypertension, Nigeria.