Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice in the General Population Regarding Hypertension: A Cross-Sectional Study from Iran

Background: Patients’ knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) are essential factors for hypertension management. Therefore, the information that reflects the level of public awareness can affect health policies. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of the general population about hypertension. Methods: In this pilot study, we totally include 198 adults with or without hypertension. Participants were randomly selected, and they filled a KAP questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of 19 items in four sections demographic characteristics (5), knowledge (7), attitude (3) and practice (4). Results: Most of the participants were younger than 30 years old. The gender distribution consisted of 52.6% males and 44.8% females. The severe headache and dizziness were the principal hypertension symptoms in participant perspectives. Most of the people had reported that salt intake and fatty foods may cause hypertension more than others. They considered low salt-fat diet and regular exercise were the main hypertension prevention. In the present study, participants believed that all the population can be at family history are the main causes. In the presence of hypertension symptoms, referring to the nephrologist, for initial evaluation was a priority for thirty percent of responders. Conclusion: This study showed that the majority of the general population had good knowledge about hypertension. We found that attitude was satisfied, although the inappropriate practice was seen in participants.