Paper
Friday, July 13, 2007
This presentation is part of : Initiatives in Health Promotion
The Pattern of Relationship between Knowledge and Self-care with Blood Pressure
Rosalind Peters, RN, PhD, Wayne State University College of Nursing, Detroit, MI, USA and Thomas Templin, PhD, College of Nursing, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
Learning Objective #1: describe the self-care knowledge and practices of African Americans related to keeping blood pressure within normal limits to prevent or control hypertension.
Learning Objective #2: discuss how knowledge of health state influences blood pressure self-care behaviors of African Americans.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the level of knowledge and BP self-care practices among community-dwelling African Americans.

Measures: Two investigator-developed instruments were used: BP Knowledge and BP Self Care. Both measures were evaluated using both scale and confirmatory factor analysis. High internal consistency was found (alpha=.91 for BP Knowledge Scale and .78 for the BP Self-care scale). Validity was established by correlation between the two scales r=.31, p<.001.  BP was measured using an Omron professional automated machine.

Sample:  306 participants were conveniently recruited from multiple sites in an urban area. Participants were well distributed by gender (47% men; 53% women); age (range 21-65, M=44.42 ± 12.41); education (range 4-20 years; M=12.92 ± 2.35); and 115 participants (38%) had a known history of hypertension.

Results: Knowledge of behaviors necessary to control BP averaged 5.8 (± 1.28) on a 7-point scale; BP self care behaviors averaged 4.46 (± 1.17) on 7-point scale. Persons with a known history of hypertension had significantly higher knowledge about BP control behaviors (t(302)=2.58, p=.012) and higher level of engaging in BP self care (t(303)=4.25, p<.000). There was an inverse relationship between BP self-care and recorded BP in persons with known history of hypertension, but a positive relationship in persons with no history. Hypertensive participants who engaged in high levels of BP self-care averaged 5.41 mmHg lower systolic and 3.86 lower diastolic BP.

Conclusions: The hypothesized relationship that increased self-care is associated with decreased BP is only found in persons with a known history of hypertension. The reverse pattern is noted in persons with no history (increased BP is associated with increased self-care) suggesting the importance of knowledge of health status as information needed by persons to engage in health promoting self-care.

This study was supported by NINR (1 R15 NR008489-01)