| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2015 | Volume
: 12
| Issue : 2 | Page : 81-84 |
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Knowledge and attitude of general practitioners regarding diagnosis and treatment of hypertension in a Nigerian city
Folashade O Alli1, Adedeji Kola Adebayo1, Anwuli Anebona1, Henry Ohakume2, Irene Etuwoma2, Ajibike Soaga2
1 Department of Medicine, Lagoon Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria
2 Department of Medicine and General Outpatient, Lagoon Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria
Correspondence Address:
Adedeji Kola Adebayo
Department of Medicine, Lagoon Hospital, 8, Marine Road, Apapa, Lagos
Nigeria
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0189-7969.152002
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Background: Hypertension is highly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, underlying many of the fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events.
Objectives: To examine the level of knowledge of primary care physicians in urban Nigeria, as regards to hypertension.
Participants: A cross-sectional survey of general medical practitioners in Lagos, Nigeria was undertaken in the months of July and August 2011 using self-administered semi-structured questionnaires.
Results: There were 74 respondents, 59.5% of whom were men and the bulk of the subjects, 41.9% were in the 30-39 years age range. Duration since graduation of 0-5 years, 56.8% and ≥21 years, 17.6% had the highest respondents. The bulk of the respondents, 90.5% were aware of the existence of guidelines on hypertension but 35.1% were not familiar with the details of any guideline. Majority, 97.3% agreed to the usefulness of guidelines and 93.2% correctly identified cut-off values for hypertension. All but one agreed to the need of referral of complicated cases to hypertension experts and would recommend lifestyle modification for all. About 44.6% of respondents generally attended 5 or more continuing professional development (CPD) per year.
Conclusion: Awareness of the existence of guidelines on hypertension and attendance at CPD programs is quite high among general medical practitioners in urban Nigeria. Knowledge of the details of these guidelines however is not as high. Focus on hypertension guidelines in most of the CPDs is recommended considering the public health importance of hypertension. |
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