Differences of Self-Management in Controlling Blood Pressure between Patients with Hypertension and Healthy People in Vietnam

Purpose: To assess the differences in blood pressure self-management behavior between healthy people and patients with hypertension, and to suggest possible predictors of blood pressure self-management in Vietnam. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was conducted, in a sample of 362 patients with hypertension and 174 healthy people were recruited, using a questionnaire survey. Results: The scores of blood pressure self-management behavior were significantly higher among patients with hypertension compared to healthy people. The living area in rural (β = -2.32, P < 0.0001) and with more than six years duration of hypertension (β = 1.88, P<0.0001) were the predictors for the score of self-management behavior among patients with hypertension, while in healthy people, the score was significantly predicted by higher knowledge of hypertension (β = 0.35, P<0.0001) and education on prevention of hypertension (β = 0.86, P = 0.002). The major source for both patients with hypertension and healthy individuals to acquire health- or hypertension-related knowledge was television or radio program. Conclusion: Patients with hypertension presented with higher scores of self-management behavior. The Vietnamese government should provide more health education program in general population. The development of an credible media technology (e.g., television, radio, internet) is a recommendable stratrgy in disseminating information on the prevention and controlling of hypertension. Introduction Hypertension is highly considered one of the most common risk factor leading to global morbidity [1], mortality [2, 3], and negative effects on the physical and psychological conditions for approximately one billion people worldwide [4] and this proportion will increase to about 1.5 billion by 2025 [5]. Like many other developing countries, hypertension in Vietnam has assumed a major public health dilemma [6]. It is the third leading cause of death in hospitals among Vietnamese adults, and the prevalence rate of hypertension is increasing, especially with 41.8 % people reported with prehypertension in Vietnam