ABSTRACT
Objective@#To investigate the current status and influencing factors of knowledge, attitude, and practice of hypertension prevention and control among rural residents in Shanxi Province, so as to provide insights into implementation of health education pertaining to hypertension control in rural areas. @*Methods@#A total of 7 403 residents were sampled using a multi-stage cluster random sampling method from rural areas of Yangqu, Daning, and Yonghe counties of Shanxi Province from November 2020 to July 2021 for face-to-face questionnaire surveys and physical examinations. Residents' basic characteristics, knowledge, attitude, and practice of hypertension prevention and control, and height, weight, blood pressure were collected, and factors affecting knowledge, attitude, and practice of hypertension prevention and control were identified using a generalized linear model. @*Results@#A total of 7 403 questionnaires were allocated, and 7 031 effective questionnaires were recovered, with an effective response rate of 94.98%. The respondents included 3 035 men (43.17%) and 3 996 women (56.83%), and had a mean age of (58.45±13.75) years. The median scores of hypertension prevention and control knowledge, attitude and practice were 5 (interquartile range, 4), 16 (interquartile range, 5) and 14 (interquartile range, 7) points, with scoring percentages of 48.40%, 80.55% and 54.41%, respectively. Generalized linear model analysis showed that an educational level of junior high school and above, annual family income per capita of ≥4 000 RMB, family history of hypertension, development of hypertension among family members or friends, overweight/obesity and presence of depression resulted in high scores for hypertension prevention and control knowledge; annual family income per capita of ≥10 000 RMB, family history of hypertension, presence of hypertension among family members or friends, mild/severe insomnia and presence of depression resulted in high scores for hypertension prevention and control attitude, while age of ≥65 years and blood pressure of ≥140/≥90 mmHg resulted in low scores for attitude; females, age of ≥45 years, an educational level of junior high school and above, blood pressure of ≥140/≥90 mmHg, family history of hypertension, presence of hypertension among family members or friends and overweight/obesity resulted in high scores for hypertension prevention and control practice, and residents had a low body weight had a low score for practice (all P<0.05).@*Conclusions@#The hypertension prevention and control attitude is satisfactory among rural residents in Shanxi Province; however, the hypertension prevention and control knowledge and practice are poor. Health education pertaining to hypertension prevention and control should be strengthened, and personalized health education is needed targeting individuals with a low educational level and low income.