Independent predictors of inadequate knowledge.

Background
Globally, hypertension is among the leading causes of premature mortality. It is a noncommunicable disease characterized by a persistent state of raised blood pressure that increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and medical conditions affecting the brain and kidneys. There is a paucity of thorough hypertension knowledge assessment among hypertensive patients in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia. Thus, this study aimed to assess overall and specific knowledge about hypertension and to identify predictors of inadequate knowledge.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia between February and April 2023. Data were collected using an online, self-administered questionnaire divided into two sections. In the first section, the characteristics of the participants were collected. In the second section, the Hypertension Knowledge-Level Scale was used to measure overall and specific knowledge areas (subdimensions). The overall and subdimensional means were tested using Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis H tests. Furthermore, the binary logistic regression was conducted to determine inadequate knowledge predictors.
Results
In all 253 hypertensive patients were eligible for participation; almost 70% of whom were male. The mean age of the participants was 45 years (±14.7), and their mean overall knowledge score was 17.60 (±5.09), which was equivalent to 67.7% of the maximum score. In addition, 40.7% of participants had an adequate level of hypertension knowledge. The complications subdimension level of knowledge was borderline optimal. At the same time, an adequate knowledge level was detected only in the lifestyle subdimension.
Conclusion
Most patients showed inadequate levels of knowledge related to hypertension management. Diet, medical treatment, disease definition, drug compliance, and complications were subsequently the least knowledgeable subdimensions among the study population. Therefore, these subdimensions should be prioritized when planning hypertension educational interventions and during follow-up sessions, especially for patients of younger age groups and those with lower educational levels.

背景
全球范围内，高血压是过早死亡的主要诱因之一。该疾病属于非传染性疾病，以持续血压升高为特征，会提升罹患心血管疾病以及脑、肾相关疾病的风险。目前沙特阿拉伯吉赞地区的高血压患者群体中，针对其高血压知识的全面评估研究仍较为匮乏。因此本研究旨在评估高血压患者的整体及专项高血压知识水平，并识别知识水平不足的相关预测因素。
方法
本研究于2023年2月至4月在沙特阿拉伯吉赞地区开展，为横断面研究。研究数据通过线上自填式问卷收集，问卷分为两个模块：第一模块收集受试者的基础特征信息；第二模块采用高血压知识水平量表（Hypertension Knowledge-Level Scale）评估受试者的整体及各专项知识维度（子维度）水平。采用曼-惠特尼U检验与克拉斯卡-沃利斯H检验对整体及各子维度的知识得分均值进行统计学检验，此外通过二元逻辑回归分析明确知识水平不足的预测因素。
结果
最终共有253名高血压患者符合入组标准，其中近70%为男性。受试者的平均年龄为45岁（±14.7），整体知识得分均值为17.60（±5.09），相当于满分的67.7%。另有40.7%的受试者高血压知识水平达标。并发症相关知识子维度的得分处于临界最优区间，仅生活方式相关知识子维度的得分达到达标水平。
结论
多数受试者对高血压管理相关知识的掌握程度不足。在本研究群体中，饮食、药物治疗、疾病定义、服药依从性以及并发症相关知识子维度是掌握情况最差的板块。因此，在制定高血压健康教育干预方案及随访流程时，应优先针对上述子维度开展教育工作，尤其需关注年轻群体及低教育水平的高血压患者。