Cardiovascular Risk and Hypertensive patients’ Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices on Modifiable Risk Factors in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Abstract

Good practice on modifiable cardiovascular risk factors is based on good knowledge and a positive attitude. The study aims to assess cardiovascular risk and knowledge, attitudes and practices of hypertensive patients in Kinshasa on modifiable cardiovascular risk factors as well as their associated determinants. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 345 hypertensive patients followed at Monkole Hospital and at Saint-Joseph Hospital in the city of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo from September 2017 to February 2018. The participants were submitted to the WHO-Steps survey. Cardiovascular risk was assessed by the number of deleterious risk factors present in patients. Descriptive and inferential analyzes were performed. The statistical significance threshold was set at p<0.05. The average age of the participants was 62.1±11.2 years with a gender ratio of 1.1 in favor of women. In total, 61%, 56% and 60% of our respondents had, respectively, a low level of knowledge, a bad attitude and an insufficient practice on modifiable cardiovascular risk factors. Good knowledge was statistically significantly linked to education, the medical profession as a source of information, and employment. Only age ≥ 60 years was significantly associated with the right attitude in our patients while good practice was linked to the level of education. The majority of participants (80.3%) had a high cardiovascular risk. Poor knowledge (p: 0.032) and insufficient overall practice (p<0.001) were significantly associated with high cardiovascular risk. The present study showed that hypertension was associated with a high Cardiovascular risk underpinned by a low level of knowledge, a bad attitude and insufficient practice on modifiable cardiovascular risk factors. Therefore, education programs and strategies to positively influence attitudes and practices are essential to reduce the impact of cardiovascular disease and its risk factors in our environment.