KNOWLEDGE, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE OF HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS IN CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA

his study described the relationship between hypertension and health-related
quality of life (HRQOL) among hypertensive patients in Cross River State, using
an adapted World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF)
questionnaire to assess 336 hypertensive patients from ten (10) selected hospitals
of Cross River State. Two null hypotheses were formulated and tested at a 0.05
level of significance. The study adopted the expose factor design and the sampling
technique involved four stages of stratified, simple random and purposive sampling
technique. A simple linear regression statistical tool was used for data analysis.
The results revealed that there was a significant influence of knowledge and
physical activity on the Health-related quality of life of hypertensive patients.
Based on these findings, it was recommended that all public health practitioners
should redirect education towards preventive/risk reduction practices, health-
seeking behaviour and early diagnosis to ensure maintenance of desirable
HRQOL.