Abstract:
Background: Modifiable Lifestyle factors those can increase or decrease the risk of hypertension include; physical exercise, salt intake, alcohol intake and a healthy diet. Practice of life style modification and its impacts should be assessed regularly after combining recommended lifestyle modifications to control blood pressure among adults with hypertension. In spite of emerging empirical evidence about efficacy of lifestyle modification in blood pressure control, little known and fail to appropriately counsel hypertensive patients by health professionals on health lifestyle in Ethiopia.
Objectives: To assess magnitude of life style modification practices and its associated factors among hypertensive patients who have follow up at public hospitals in Ambo town, Oromia, Ethiopia, from March 1- 30 2023.
Methods: Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 355 hypertensive patients who have follow-up at public hospitals in ambo town, from march-1 to 30, 2023. Study participants were selected by a systematic random sampling. The data were collected using adapted structured questionnaire by interview, then data were entered in to Epi-info-7. The data were exported to SPSS version 26. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. Bi-variables Binary logistic regression was used and variables with p-value < 0.25 were entered into multivariable binary logistic regression model. Adjusted Odds Ratios with 95% confidence intervals with respective p-values < 0.05 were used to identify the association.
Results: A total of 344 hypertensive patients were included in the study with a response rate of 96.9%. About 56.1%, [(95% CI: 51.3- 61.0)] had a Good life style modification practice. In this study, being employed (AOR= 3.6, [95% CI: 1.22; 10.5]), Good self-efficacy (AOR=2.92, [95% CI: 1.06; 8.02]), Good knowledge (AOR= 3.8 [95% CI: 1.81; 7.9]) Normal body mass index (AOR=0.22, [95% CI: 0.064 – 0.78]), being underweight (AOR= 0.12, [95% CI : 0.02 ; 0.63] were factors associated with life style modification practice.
Conclusion: The magnitude of life style modification practices in this study was 56.1%, which was relatively low. Being employed, good knowledge, good self-efficacy and being obese were significantly associated with good life style modification practices in this study.
