Perceived Stroke Risk, Blood Pressure Control, and Preventive Health Behaviors Among Adults With Hypertension
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61919/jhrr.v6i8.2052Keywords:
Hypertension; Stroke Risk Perception; Blood Pressure Control; Preventive Health Behaviors; Medication Adherence; PakistanAbstract
Background: Hypertension is a major modifiable risk factor for stroke, yet awareness of cerebrovascular risk does not necessarily translate into effective preventive practices.
Objective: To investigate associations between perceived stroke risk, blood pressure control, and preventive health behaviors among adults with hypertension.
Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted over six months at Ittefaq Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan. Convenience sampling was employed, and 58 participants were included in the final cleaned dataset. Two blood pressure readings were recorded, and perceived 10-year stroke risk, risk awareness, medication adherence, physical activity, dietary practices, and healthcare utilization were assessed. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 26.0.
Results: The participants’ mean age was 52.36 ± 13.29 years, and 32 (55.2%) had uncontrolled blood pressure. Mean perceived 10-year stroke risk was 18.74 ± 12.89%. Participants with uncontrolled blood pressure reported higher perceived stroke risk than those with controlled blood pressure (median 20.0% versus 11.0%; p=0.005). Perceived risk correlated positively with hypertension duration (ρ=0.632; p<0.001), age (ρ=0.577; p<0.001), and systolic blood pressure (ρ=0.421; p=0.001). Among medication users, adherence was poorer in the uncontrolled group (p<0.001). After adjustment for age and hypertension duration, higher perceived stroke risk remained associated with lower odds of blood pressure control (adjusted OR=0.21; 95% CI: 0.08–0.55; p=0.001).
Conclusion: Uncontrolled blood pressure was associated with greater perceived stroke risk and poorer medication adherence. Higher perceived risk was not consistently accompanied by more favorable preventive behaviors, indicating a potential gap between risk awareness and hypertension self-management.
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