Psycho-Social Risk Factors of Hypertension in the Ga West Municipality, Ghana.

Abstract

Hypertension has become a common disease in the world. People all over the world today, irrespective of race, education, occupation or marital status stand a risk of developing pressure, which has significant health implications and may lead to death. Although there are several risk factors to developing hypertension, psychosocial risk factors are very prominent. The main objective of this study was to examine the Psycho-social risk factors. (depression, perceived discrimination and financial stress) on hypertension in the Ga West Municipality of the Greater Accra region of Ghana. The study used a cross-sectional design with a quantitative method for data collection. A total number of 270 hypertensive patients from 18 to 60 years old were randomly selected from the Amasaman Municipal hospital to participate in the study. The results showed that formal education, employment status, marital status and male hypertensive patients had higher odds of being depressed compared to their counterparts who had some formal education, unemployed, single and females. Also 67 hypertensive patients (24.8%) did not report being depressed while 203 (75.2%) reported having minimal depression. Depression was significantly associated with hypertension (p < 0.05). About a third 72 (26.7%) of hypertensive patients had no financial stress while 38.1% and 35.2% had low and high financial stress respectively. About 50% of respondents had no perceived discrimination, while 21.1% had low perceived discrimination and 28.9% had high perceived discrimination. Financial stress and perceived discrimination did not have statistically significant association with hypertension (p < 0.05). Also financial stress was not significantly associated with hypertension (p < 0.05). Furthermore, financial stress and perceived discrimination were not significantly associated with hypertension. The Ghana Health service should consider including psychotherapists or clinical psychologists as part of the team of health professionals involved in the management of hypertension and other chronic health conditions in order to effectively deal with psychosocial risk factors associated with hypertension.