ELDERLY PATIENTS

his study elicits self –management of hypertension among elderly patients in a tertiary health institution in Benin City, Edo State. The aim of this study is to ascertain the self-management behaviors the elderly hypertensive patients in University of Benin Teaching Hospital. It employed a cross-sectional survey design by administrating a well structured questioner to two hundred and sixty nine (269) hypertensive patients in university of Benin teaching hospital. The respondents were selected using random sampling and subjected to statistical analysis. The data set from the administered questionnaire was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical and the level of significance was set at p<0.05. Analysis of the data was presented with descriptive statistics using tables and means to represent information. The result of the findings revealed that 30% had poor knowledge, majority 50.7% had fair knowledge, 38.1% had good knowledge of hypertension. 20.9% of respondents had poor level practice of hypertension self management, 23.1% had a fair level of practice while majority 56% had good knowledge of hypertension self management. This study recommends that good knowledge of hypertension help in self management therefore health providers should create awareness to enlighten hypertensive patients on their self management.