Knowledge of pregnant women diagnosed with hypertensive disorders regarding treatment and self-care at a selected hospital, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

The study aimed to determine the knowledge of pregnant women diagnosed with hypertensive disorders regarding treatment and self-care at a selected hospital in Limpopo, South Africa. A quantitative research approach and a descriptive research design were employed. Simple random sampling was used to select 119 pregnant women diagnosed with hypertensive disorders, and data were collected using a questionnaire. The analysis was performed using the Social Sciences Statistical Package (SPSS version 27). The findings revealed that 45% of the women diagnosed with hypertensive disorders were aged between 30 and 39 years, and most respondents (87%) understood the treatment instructions provided by their doctor or nurse. This understanding is attributed to the fact that a significant portion of the pregnant women (48%) had received tertiary education. Additionally, the results indicated that most pregnant women diagnosed with hypertensive disorders had knowledge about self-care. The study recommends that health facilities should have teaching programs for pregnant women diagnosed with hypertensive disorders. The study also recommends that a multidisciplinary approach be used when managing pregnant women diagnosed with HDP. A similar study is also recommended to assess the knowledge of pregnant women diagnosed with HDP that will include a large population from different facilities for generalization