Key result
Hypertension follow-up achieves ~90% medication adherence despite widespread financial barriers and poor target knowledge.
Why the study?
Hypertension treatment and control rates in low-income countries, including Zambia, remain poor, prompting an assessment of patient knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding treatment and lifestyle modifications.
Cross-Sectional (n=50)
No
In a Zambian tertiary hospital cohort, hypertensive patients demonstrated positive attitudes and high self-reported medication adherence, but severe deficits in knowledge of blood pressure targets and complications alongside financial barriers hindered lifestyle modifications and home monitoring.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
High reported adherence contrasts with low BP target knowledge and home monitoring amid financial barriers; leaves open whether education improves outcomes in similar cohorts.
Hypertension remains a leading cause of premature death and disability worldwide, and treatment and control rates in lowincome countries, Zambia included, remain poor. This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of people living with hypertension regarding their treatment and lifestyle modifications at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), Lusaka, Zambia. A descriptive qualitative design was used. Fifty adults aged 19–70 years on antihypertensive follow-up at the UTH outpatient department were recruited through purposive sampling and interviewed using a pre-tested semistructured interview guide; data were analysed thematically using Tesch’s open coding method with NVivo support. Most participants (60%) correctly described hypertension as a chronic condition requiring continuous management, and 70% identified lifestyle and hereditary risk factors; however, only 10% could state blood pressure targets and 8% named complications of uncontrolled disease. Attitudes were largely positive: 90% believed medication was necessary for control and 60% relied on family and provider support. Practices were uneven; medication adherence was high (90%), whereas regular physical activity (30%), home blood pressure monitoring (20%) and stress management (30%) were uncommon. Financial constraints (80%) and limited time (60%) were the principal barriers to self-management. Structured patient education, subsidised antihypertensive therapy and strengthened family and community support systems are needed to translate positive attitudes into sustained hypertension self-management.
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Kayawe et al. (2026) conducted a cross-sectional in Hypertension (n=50). Hypertension knowledge, attitudes, and self-management practices was evaluated on Adherence to prescribed antihypertensive medication and knowledge/lifestyle practices. Adults on antihypertensive follow-up in Lusaka reported 90% medication adherence, but only 10% knew blood pressure targets, 20% monitored blood pressure at home, and 80% faced financial barriers.
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