Associations Between Self-Care and Hypertension Knowledge, Illness Perceptions, and Depression in Patients With...

Inadequate self-care among patients with hypertension is associated with uncontrolled blood pressure, increased rates of complications, higher morbidity and mortality, and increased healthcare costs. Identifying factors influencing self-care behaviors is essential for developing effective interventions.

The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between self-care and hypertension knowledge levels, illness perceptions, and depression in patients with hypertension.

This cross-sectional study was conducted with 240 patients with hypertension attending 3 family health centers in Istanbul, Türkiye. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Self-Care of Hypertension Inventory, the Hypertension Knowledge-Level Scale, the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, and the Short Beck Depression Inventory. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analyses.

Hypertension knowledge, illness perceptions, and substance use (tobacco or alcohol) were significant predictors of all self-care behaviors (P < .001). Greater hypertension knowledge and more positive illness perceptions were associated with improved self-care. Additionally, participants who did not smoke tobacco products or consume alcohol demonstrated higher rates of engagement in self-care behaviors. Although Short Beck Depression Inventory scores were negatively correlated with all Self-Care of Hypertension Inventory scales (P < .001), depression did not remain a significant independent predictor in multivariate analyses.

The findings of this study highlight the importance of improving hypertension knowledge, addressing illness perceptions, and implementing lifestyle-focused interventions to enhance self-care among patients with hypertension. Although depression was not an independent predictor, it was associated with poorer self-care, indicating that psychological assessment and support should be considered.