Research Article
Herbal and Alternative Medicine Use in Tanzanian Adults Admitted with Hypertension-Related Diseases: A Mixed-Methods Study
Table 1
Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of 213 consecutive adults hospitalized at Bugando Medical Centre with hypertension-related diseases.
| | Variable | Value
() | | Proportion (%) | | Median [IQR] |
| | Female gender | 112 (52.6) | | Age (years) | 56 | | Education level | | | Not completed primary school | 58 (27.2) | | Completed primary school | 121 (56.8) | | Completed secondary school | 34 (16.0) | | Occupation | | | Farmer | 78 (36.6) | | Small scale business | 54 (25.4) | | Professional, business, or student | 81 (38.0) | | Health insurance | 70 (32.9) | | Hypertension diagnosis | | | New diagnosis | 51 (23.9) | | Previously diagnosed | 162 (76.1) | | Medication adherence (MMAS-4 score) | | | High (0) | 35 (22.0) | | Medium (1-2) | 38 (23.9) | | Low (3-4) | 86 (54.1) | | Systolic blood pressure | 160 | | Diastolic blood pressure | 100 | | Is hypertension curable (or is it a lifelong condition)? | | | No (hypertension is a lifelong condition) | 95 (44.6) | | Yes (hypertension is curable) | 118 (55.4) | | Is there anything that can be done to prevent hypertension? | | | Yes | 54 (25.4) | | No | 159 (74.7) | | Years since hypertension diagnosis | 5 | | Place of diagnosis | | | Hospital | 194 (91.1) | | Other | 19 (8.9) | | History of hypertensive medication | 159 (74.7) | | Currently on hypertensive medication | 103 (48.4) | | Prevalence of comorbid conditions | 173 (81.2) | | Heart failure | 54 (24.5) | | Diabetes mellitus | 39 (18.4) | | Kidney disease | 24 (11.3) | | Stroke | 20 (9.4) |
|
|
MMAS-4, Morisky Medication Adherence Scale, the 4-item scale; IQR, interquartile range.
|
