Increasing Public Knowledge about Hypertension and Diet Low Salt in the Village Rio De Janeiro Leste Timor

Abstract

Hypertension is the number 1 cause of death in the world. In general, hypertension is a condition without symptoms, where abnormally high pressure in the arteries causes an increased risk of stroke, aneurysm, heart failure, heart attack and kidney failure. Management of hypertension is carried out as an effort to reduce the risk of rising blood pressure and its treatment. In the management of hypertension, efforts are made in the form of non-pharmacological (modifying lifestyle through health education) and pharmacological (drugs). Some healthy lifestyles recommended by many guidelines are weight loss, reducing salt intake, sport which is done regularly, reduces alcohol consumption and stops smoking. The aim of this counseling is to increase public knowledge about hypertension as well as ways to prevent and treat hypertension by diet low in salt. The method used in counseling and demonstrations. Result Pretest regarding public knowledge about hypertension, namely 15 people (53.57%) had poor knowledge, 8 people (28.57%) had sufficient knowledge, and 5 people (17.85%) had good knowledge. Increased knowledge was obtained after the community was given education about hypertension and diet low salt with results posttest. 18 people (64.28%) had good knowledge and 10 people (35.71%) had sufficient knowledge. This outreach activity is a promotive and preventive effort to reduce the incidence of hypertension. During the Hypertension counseling process in the village Rio De Janeiro East Timor Respondents received educational material regarding hypertension and one way to prevent it with a low-salt diet. The conclusion of this activity is that there has been an increase in public knowledge village after providing education about hypertension and how to treat hypertension, one of which is using a low-salt diet.