A THESIS REPORT SUBMITTED TO SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH COLLEGE OF MEDICIN AND HEALTH SCINCES ARBAMINCH UNVERSTY IN PARTIAL FULFIL MENT OF THE REQIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTERS OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Abstract

Background: Hypertension is main risk factor and precursor of myocardial infraction, chronic kidney disease, heart failure and premature death. Self-care practices reassure hypertensive patients to have better quality of life by preventing complications and decrease health care costs. There is still minimal indication on self-care practices among hypertensive patients in southern Ethiopia and it is not measured so far in Gamo zone. Also possible variable which knowledge about hypertension consequence is not considered in previous studies will be addressed by this study. Objective of this study to assess self-care practices and associated factors among adult hypertensive patients in public hospitals in Gamo Zone, southern Ethiopia, Methods; Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted among 423 hypertensive patients; systematic random sampling was employed. The data were collected using face to face interviewer questionnaires, and entered into Epidata version 4.4.3 software and then exported to statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 25.0. Bivariate and multi-variable logistic regression was used for analysis. Significance was declared by using p-value less than 0.05 with 95% confidence interval. Result: A total of 423 individuals 100% response rate, good self-care practices were found among 27.7% with CI=(0.238-0.316). Adhere to weight management, low salt diet, medication usage, physical activity, non-alcohol drinking, and non-smoking, was 35.5%, 40%, 59%, 62.4%, 82%, and 94.8% respectively. Males (AOR=0.503 95% CI= 0.311-0.814), rural residence (AOR=0.46, 95%CI= 0.283-0.758), and less disease duration (AOR=0.503 95%CI= 0.312-0.812), were less likely to have good self-care practice but participants who has co-morbidity (AOR=1.86, 95% CI=1.13-3.06) were more likely to good self-cares practices. Conclusion: Self-care practices among adult hypertensive patients were low in this study. The factors impeding or enhancing the outcome variables were sex, residents, disease duration and comorbidity were Significant associated with self-care practices. Hence, hypertensive patients who with co-morbidity, live in rural residence, less disease durations and males should be educated and counseled about the importance of adherence to self-care practices and its advantages in control of hypertension, and also patient with less disease durations should be appoint frequently to visit health facilities and advice the risk of having low self-care practices.