Self-care Level of Adults With Arterial Hypertension in Outpatient Follow-up in Brazil: A Cross-sectional Study

Self-care is essential for minimizing the long-term progression of hypertension (HTN) and improving global health outcomes. However, little is known about the predictors of HTN self-care among adults with HTN in Brazil.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the self-care practices and the association of sociodemographic and clinical factors of adults with HTN in Brazil.

This was a cross-sectional study conducted by telephone with 120 adults with HTN monitored in a specialized outpatient clinic of a teaching hospital. Sociodemographic and clinical information was collected by a questionnaire survey. Self-care was assessed by the Self-care of Hypertension Inventory version 2. Multiple regression and Kendall's correlation analyses were performed to determine possible predictors.

Low levels of self-care were observed across maintenance, management, and confidence measures. A weak correlation was observed between self-care maintenance and education (-0.13), the time of diagnosis (0.16), and the number of medications (0.15); self-care management and family income (0.13) and cognitive function (0.17); and self-care confidence and systolic (-0.15) and diastolic (-0.18) blood pressure values and time of diagnosis (0.16). In multiple regression analysis, self-care confidence was a predictor of self-care maintenance ( β = 0.30; 95% confidence interval, 0.10-0.36) and management ( β = 0.20; 95% confidence interval, 0.03-0.46).

Confidence was essential in the maintenance and management of self-care and is central to the control of HTN. Self-care interventions must consider the different aspects that may affect self-care, highlighting improving self-care confidence as a main goal.