Perceived Predisposition Factors of Diabetes and Hypertension in the Shai-Osudoku District of Ghana

Abstract

Purpose: This study examined the perceived predisposition factors of diabetes and hypertension in the Shai-Osudoku district of Ghana. The research design adopted by the study was qualitative approach. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were used to collect the data.   Materials and Methods: A total of fifty-two (52) participants made up of thirty-five (35) without any diabetes or hypertension and ten (10) with only hypertension and eight (8) with both diabetes and hypertension were involved in the study. For participants without diabetes or hypertension, the process of selection was simple random sampling while those with either hypertension and diabetes or only hypertension, snow ball process was used to identify them. Content analysis with coding of the information was used to analysis the data. Findings: The paper identified a number of perceptions and firmly held beliefs about the predisposition causes of diabetes and hypertension. These include spiritual means of contracting diabetes and hypertension, the type of work one does, the kind of foods one eats, the age of a person, from parents to children, eating habits of a person, and lack of exercise/physical activities. Two theories of causes of disease conditions were used in this study. These are: the Health Believe Model (HBM) and General Susceptibility Causes of Disease (GSCD). Comparing the above findings in the context of the two theories, it can therefore be said that, the participants’ opinion regarding behavioural risk factors of diabetes and hypertension are in consistance with the theories used for the study. Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Based on the findings, it is recommended that, the Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service should engage social scientists such as sociologists and psychologists at the various healthcare centers to assist health professionals to improve the understanding of their patients; especially those with medical complications such as diabetes and hypertension in order to increase patient adherence to treatment. This is because if diabetic or hypertensive patient has a belief that his/her condition is caused by spiritual means, it presupposes that it can only be cured through spiritual means and therefore he/she will not adhere to routine medications as the case may be.