Oku Afiong Oboko, Udonwa Ndifreke Ekpo, Oseni Tijani Idris Ahmad, Ilori Temitope, Salam Tawakalit Olubukola
Department of Community Medicine, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.
Department of Family Medicine, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.
Health Serv Insights. 2024 Jul 27;17:11786329241266674. doi: 10.1177/11786329241266674. eCollection 2024.
Reduction in salt intake improves blood pressure control and reduces the risk of hypertension and other noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). However, salt intake remains high among Nigerians. This study aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to salt reduction among hypertensive patients attending a family medicine clinic in southern Nigeria.
A focussed group discussion (FGD) exploring patients' perceptions of the barriers and facilitators to salt reduction was conducted with 8 groups of purposefully selected 74 hypertensives who consumed excess dietary salt, stratified by age and sex, using an FGD guide. Thematic analysis was then performed using Nvivo version 12 pro. Ethical approval was obtained from Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), and written informed consent was obtained from the patients before the FGD.
Respondents had a mean age of 51.96 ± 8.98 years. The majority were females (47, 63.5%) and had uncontrolled blood pressure (66, 89.2%). Five major themes were identified, from which several minor themes emerged. Respondents rated their overall health as good but expressed concerns about their poor blood pressure control. Identified barriers to salt reduction included family pressure, ignorance, ready availability and affordability of salt and lack of affordable alternatives. Facilitators of salt reduction were measuring the amount of cooking salt, removing salt from the dining table and providing substitutes. Respondents, however, expressed willingness to reduce their salt consumption.
The study identified barriers and facilitators to salt reduction. There is a need to create awareness of the safe amount of salt to be consumed and provide safe and readily available alternatives.
减少盐摄入量可改善血压控制，并降低患高血压和其他非传染性疾病（NCDs）的风险。然而，尼日利亚人的盐摄入量仍然很高。本研究旨在确定在尼日利亚南部一家家庭医学诊所就诊的高血压患者减少盐摄入的障碍和促进因素。
采用焦点小组讨论（FGD）方法，对8组共74名故意挑选的食用过量膳食盐的高血压患者进行了调查，这些患者按年龄和性别分层，并使用FGD指南进行分组讨论。然后使用Nvivo 12专业版进行主题分析。研究获得了伊鲁阿专科医院（ISTH）的伦理批准，并在FGD之前获得了患者的书面知情同意。
受访者的平均年龄为51.96±8.98岁。大多数为女性（47人，占63.5%），且血压控制不佳（66人，占89.2%）。确定了五个主要主题，并从中出现了几个次要主题。受访者对自己的整体健康状况评价良好，但对血压控制不佳表示担忧。确定的减少盐摄入的障碍包括家庭压力、无知、盐的容易获取和可承受性以及缺乏可承受的替代品。减少盐摄入的促进因素包括测量烹饪盐的用量、将盐从餐桌上拿走以及提供替代品。然而，受访者表示愿意减少盐的摄入量。
该研究确定了减少盐摄入的障碍和促进因素。有必要提高人们对安全盐摄入量的认识，并提供安全且容易获得的替代品。
