Amponsem-Boateng Cecilia, Oppong Timothy Bonney, Zhang Weidong, Abdulai Tanko, Boakye-Yiadom Jonathan, Wang Lianke, Duodu Kyere Emmanuel Kumi
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China.
Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana.
Int J Hypertens. 2021 Jul 8;2021:9931873. doi: 10.1155/2021/9931873. eCollection 2021.
. Hypertension (HTN) is the second main source of outpatient morbidity in Ghana, and the understanding of a disease is necessary for its prevention and management. Language and communication are contributing factors to HTN in Ghana. No studies have been conducted to assess knowledge/awareness of HTN (in the context of its understanding) among students in Ghana. Following a local name for HTN in Ghana, researchers interviewed students through a focus group to assess their understanding/perception (meaning, cause, and prevention) of the disease. Available literature has concerned itself with clients' knowledge of their condition (diagnosis) rather than their comprehension of the true nature of what HTN is. The objective of this study is to assess the knowledge/awareness of HTN in the context of its understanding of the meaning, perception, causes, and prevention of hypertension among students of Ghana's Senior High School (Second Cycle). Semistructured interviews with the use of the theme lists were employed. Focus group conversations and interviews were held in the local Akan (Twi) language, which was later translated, interpreted, and analyzed. Overall, 25 second-cycle students participated. 60% were between 15 and 17 years, 24% were ≥18 years, and 16% were <15 years of age. Males were 44% and females were 56%. Students gave diverse perceptions of their knowledge of HTN. The local language's translation of HTN has influenced and affected its meaning/understanding among some, thus affecting their perception of causes and prevention.
高血压（HTN）是加纳门诊发病率的第二大主要原因，而了解疾病对于其预防和管理至关重要。语言和沟通是加纳高血压的促成因素。尚未开展研究来评估加纳学生对高血压的认识/了解（在对其理解的背景下）。按照加纳当地对高血压的称呼，研究人员通过焦点小组对学生进行访谈，以评估他们对该疾病的理解/认知（含义、病因和预防）。现有文献关注的是患者对自身病情（诊断）的了解，而非他们对高血压本质的理解。本研究的目的是在加纳高中（第二阶段）学生对高血压的含义、认知、病因和预防的理解背景下，评估他们对高血压的认识/了解。采用了使用主题列表的半结构化访谈。焦点小组对话和访谈以当地阿坎语（特维语）进行，随后进行翻译、口译和分析。总体而言，25名第二阶段学生参与其中。60%的学生年龄在15至17岁之间，24%的学生年龄≥18岁，16%的学生年龄<15岁。男性占44%，女性占56%。学生们对高血压知识的认知各不相同。高血压在当地语言中的翻译影响了一些人对其含义/理解，进而影响了他们对病因和预防的认知。
