Effect of Family Counseling on Blood pressure in women Suffering from Hypertension

Background: Hypertension is a serious health hazard and an important factor in disability and mortality. Regarding the importance of effective preventive and control measures, this study was carried out with the aim of determining the effect of family counseling on controlling blood pressure in women suffering from hypertension in Nimavar (a village in Zanjan province) ۲۰۰۴. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on women suffering from hypertension who were selected through convenience sampling access method. Blood pressure of all married women of the village was measured according to international league of blood pressure standard and women with blood pressures over or equal to ۱۴۰/۹۰ mmHg within three measures, entered the research. To confirm the validity of the questionnaire, we used the content validity method and to confirm the reliability we used test retest method. Then, the counseling plan was performed on patients’ families for a month (almost ۱۰ sessions for each family according to the requirements) and blood pressure of the suffering women was measured on a weekly basis. Mean blood pressures of samples were recorded a month before, during the counseling and two months after counseling. Difference in blood pressure before and after counseling was analysed using variance analysis and t-test. Results: The survey of ۴۱ women suffering from hypertension results revealed that the mean systolic blood pressure of the patients declined from ۱۶۶.۳±۱۸.۲ mmHg before counseling to ۱۴۱.۲±۱۲.۹ mmHg after counseling. Besides, the mean diastolic blood pressure declined from ۱۰۲.۹±۷.۴۹ mmHg before counseling to ۹۰±۲۶.۲ mmHg three months following counseling (P=۰.۰۰۰۱) there was a significant difference in systolic and diastolic pressure between the first month, the second month and the third month before and after counseling (p=۰.۰۰۰۱) Conclusion: The results indicated that family counseling could be an effective way of controlling hypertension. Thus, regarding the research society and sample size, efficacy of the procedure should be tested in urban societies using more extensive studies.

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Key Words: Family counseling , Hypertension , Rural women , Home visit