Table 4.
Lifestyle practices related to hypertension.
| Variables | Parameter | Frequency | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Known hypertensive | No | 239 | 81.3 |
| Yes | 55 | 18.7 | |
| When diagnosed | More than a month | 6 | 10.9 |
| Less than a year | 8 | 14.5 | |
| More than a year | 41 | 74.5 | |
| On medication | No | 10 | 18.2 |
| Yes | 45 | 81.8 | |
| Taking medication | No | 16 | 35.6 |
| Yes | 29 | 64.4 | |
| Reasons for drug noncompliance | Cannot afford medication | 6 | 37.5 |
| Medications are bitter | 3 | 18.8 | |
| Tired of taking them | 7 | 43.7 | |
| Last time checked blood pressure | Less than a month | 17 | 30.9 |
| Less than a year | 15 | 27.3 | |
| Do not remember | 23 | 41.8 | |
| Taking herbal medication | No | 37 | 67.3 |
| Yes | 18 | 32.7 | |
| Duration of taking herbal preparation | About a month ago | 5 | 27.8 |
| Since diagnoses | 8 | 44.4 | |
| About a year ago | 5 | 27.8 | |
| Taking herbal medication with prescribed drugs | No | 8 | 44.4 |
| Yes | 10 | 55.6 | |
| Informed doctor on herbal medication use | No | 11 | 61.1 |
| Yes | 7 | 38.9 | |
| Improvement since taking herbal medication | Yes, witnessed significant improvement | 12 | 66.7 |
| Yes, fair improvement | 5 | 27.8 | |
| No improvement | 1 | 5.6 | |
| Seeking cure through prayer camps | No | 290 | 98.6 |
| Yes | 4 | 1.4 | |
| Outcome of seeking a cure from prayer camps | Was cured | 1 | 25.0 |
| Nothing changed | 3 | 75.0 | |
| Lifestyle changes to prevent hypertension | No | 23 | 7.8 |
| Yes | 271 | 92.2 | |
| Healthy lifestyle important for preventing illness | No | 6 | 2.0 |
| Yes | 288 | 98.0 | |
| Changing lifestyle to prevent hypertension | No | 15 | 5.1 |
| Yes | 279 | 94.9 | |
| Smoking habits | Yes | 11 | 3.7 |
| No | 283 | 96.3 | |
| Duration of smoking | Less than a year | 6 | 54.5 |
| 3-4 years | 1 | 9.1 | |
| More than 4 years | 4 | 36.4 | |
| Alcohol use | No | 181 | 61.6 |
| Yes | 113 | 38.4 | |
| Frequently exercised | No | 89 | 30.3 |
| Yes | 205 | 69.7 | |
| Frequency of exercise | Occasionally | 125 | 61.0 |
| Often | 79 | 38.5 | |
| Not at all | 1 | .5 | |
| Eating late in the night | Yes, occasionally | 113 | 38.4 |
| Yes, often | 74 | 25.2 | |
| No, not all | 107 | 36.4 |