HEALTH LITERACY AND PREVENTIVE PRACTICES REGARDING HYPERTENSION AMONG TRADERS IN AN URBAN MARKET, LAGOS STATE
HYPERTENSION HEALTH LITERACY AND PREVENTIVE PRACTICES AMONG TRADERS
Keywords:
Decision making, Health education, Health information, Health Promotion, Knowledge, Non Communicable DiseaseAbstract
Background: Health literacy is the ability to access information, understand and apply it to informed decision-making regarding health, not like knowledge which is merely possessing information. People with inadequate health literacy are reported to have higher hospitalization rates and are less likely to practice preventive measures for conditions such as hypertension which is a public health problem in Nigeria. Information on health literacy among this population may inform interventions to improve the uptake of preventive practices of hypertension and this reduce morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to assess the health literacy and preventive practices with regard to hypertension among traders in Lagos.
Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among traders in an urban market in Lagos, Nigeria using pre-tested questionnaires to obtain data on sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge and preventive practices regarding hypertension. Health Literacy was assessed using Short Assessment of Health Literacy-English (SAHLE) Brief Health Literacy Screen (BHLS) tools. Data was entered and analysed using Epi Info version 7.
Results: The Mean ages of respondents were 33.4±10.3 years and most were females 151 (75.1%). All respondents had received formal education with 194 (96.5%) having a minimum of secondary school education. The health literacy median score was 12, with two-thirds (67%) of the respondents having low health literacy; 153 (76.1%) had good knowledge regarding hypertension while 176 (87.6%) had good preventive practices. Those with adequate health literacy (P=0.001) and higher levels of education had good knowledge of hypertension (P <0.001).
Conclusion: Health literacy in this population was low, in spite of this, there were relatively good levels of knowledge and preventive practices of hypertension among this population. However, health literacy and level of education were associated with better knowledge of hypertension. Hence, steps should be taken towards improving the health literacy of the populace which would lead to better knowledge and in extension, better practice of preventive measures
