Health Literacy for Hypertension Control Among Riverside Populations: A Qualitative Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12707/RVI26.2.44837Keywords:
health literacy, social determinants of health, primary health care, self care, rural population, hypertensionAbstract
Background: This study reports the qualitative phase of a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design.
Objective: To understand the nuances of limited health literacy in the control of hypertension among riverside populations in the Brazilian Amazon.
Methodology: A community consultation was conducted between September and November 2023 through individual meetings with 15 participants living on the islands of Cotijuba and Combu in the state of Pará, in the Brazilian Amazon. The thematic analysis was guided by the following themes: particularities and cognitive abilities related to information about hypertension; application of knowledge; and the limitations and potential of health literacy. Atlas.ti software was used to support data analysis.
Results: Health literacy influenced participants’ understanding and knowledge of hypertension, as well as their comprehension, analysis, and use of health information. It also shaped participants’ perceptions of access to health information during consultations and of the limitations and potential of health interventions and practices influenced by sociocultural factors.
Conclusion: Lifestyle and health practices and culture, in interaction with other social determinants of health, influence how riverside inhabitants understand and manage hypertension.
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References
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