Awareness and Behavioural Responses to Nurse-Led Patient Education and Hypertension Prevention Interventions among Patients Attending Selected Tertiary Health Facilities in Edo State, Nigeria
Hypertension remains one of the leading causes of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide, with increasing prevalence in low- and middle-income countries, including Nigeria. Nurses play a pivotal role in hypertension prevention through patient education, lifestyle counselling, and continuous health promotion. This study assessed patients' awareness and behavioural responses to nurse-led patient education and hypertension prevention interventions among patients attending selected tertiary health facilities in Edo State, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was employed involving 281 patients selected through a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured, validated questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and logistic regression at a 5% level of significance. The findings revealed that the majority of respondents demonstrated good awareness of nurse-led hypertension prevention interventions, with nurses identified as the primary source of education on lifestyle modification and hypertension prevention. Positive behavioural responses included improved dietary practices, increased physical activity, regular blood pressure monitoring, adherence to prescribed medications, reduced alcohol consumption, and smoking cessation. Educational attainment, exposure to nurse-led health education, and regular healthcare visits were significant predictors of positive behavioural responses. The study demonstrates that nurse-led patient education plays a critical role in improving patients' knowledge and promoting healthy lifestyle behaviours necessary for hypertension prevention. Strengthening nurse-led education programmes, expanding community-based hypertension awareness initiatives, and integrating structured behavioural counselling into routine clinical practice are recommended to enhance hypertension prevention and improve long-term cardiovascular health outcomes among patients in Nigeria.