Abstract:

Introduction: Hypertension otherwise known as raised or high blood pressure is a medical condition in which blood vessels (arteries) have persistently elevated pressure. Chronic rise is blood pressure >140/90mmHg. About 80-95% of the patients have essential hypertension where primary elevation of blood pressure is due to an unknown cause. Hypertensive patients are prone to develop target organ damage if there is delay in diagnosing and treating hypertension. The diagnosis of hypertension is controversial. This research provides useful information on the reasons and factors attributing to under diagnosis of hypertension as well as over diagnosis of malaria.

Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the factors associated with delay in diagnosis and treatment of hypertension and hypertension-related disease at Bombo Regional Hospital Tanga.

Methods: This was hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional study of patients admitted at the internal medicine ward at Bombo Regional Hospital. The study was carried out on September 2018. A self-administered questionnaire with closed ended questions was used to collect information from the participants. Confidentiality information maintained through the research period. A total of 95 participants were enrolled during the study.

Results: The results show that most of the patients in the study lacked knowledge on the risk factors, signs and symptoms as well as complications of hypertension and hypertension related diseases. It also showed that most patients over diagnoses malaria when they present symptoms like headache. It also showed that the majority of the participants did not have their blood pressure checked as well as any disease when they were attending health facility to get checked for malaria.