Health-related knowledge on hypertension among the Portuguese population: results from a population-based survey

AbstractPurpose: Adequate knowledge on hypertension has been shown to improve awareness, adherence to treatment and control of the disease. We aimed to estimate the health-related knowledge about hypertension among the Portuguese population.Materials and methods: A representative sample of Portuguese-speaking dwellers in mainland Portugal (n = 1624), aged 16 to 79 years, was evaluated through face-to-face interviews conducted using a structured questionnaire. Health literacy was evaluated using the instrument Newest Vital Sign.Results: The mean prevalence of hypertension in the Portuguese population estimated by the participants in this study was 45.4%. Salt intake and poor diet were reported as main causes of hypertension by 27.5% and 21.5% of the participants, respectively, whereas more than 85% acknowledged myocardial infarction and stroke as its main consequences. However, 31.2% of the participants were not able to identify a cause for high blood pressure, especially the older and those with worse sco...