1.1 Introduction
Hypertension is a chronic condition in which the pressure of blood against the walls of the blood vessels remains consistently high. It is one of the leading risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, stroke, kidney disease, and premature death. According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2025), an estimated 1.4 billion adults aged 30 to 79 years were living with hypertension globally in 2024, while a large proportion were unaware that they had the condition. Hypertension is an important public health concern because its occurrence is influenced by both lifestyle and other risk factors. Unhealthy eating, excessive salt intake, physical inactivity, overweight or obesity, tobacco use, and excessive alcohol consumption are among the factors associated with increased risk. In Nigeria, the burden of hypertension is substantial. A recent systematic review estimated that about one in three Nigerian adults has hypertension, with a pooled prevalence of 34.2% (Akinlua et al., 2026).
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the aim and objectives of the study. Others are significance of the study, scope of work, research hypothesis and questions, limitation of the study and definition of terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Historically, hypertension dates back several centuries, although its recognition as a major medical condition developed gradually. As stated byccording to Brummett and Whelton (2024), awareness of unusually high blood pressure can be traced to ancient Chinese medicine, where observations of the pulse were used to assess health. Early physicians did not have instruments for measuring blood pressure as it is done today, so they mainly relied on the strength and character of the pulse. Some traditional approaches to managing conditions associated with high blood pressure included dietary restrictions, bleeding, and other methods that were based on the medical understanding of the period.
In Nigeria, hypertension has become an important public health concern affecting adults across different communities and socioeconomic groups. According to Akinlua et al. (2015), the prevalence of hypertension among Nigerian adults has varied considerably across studies, with substantial differences according to location, sex, age, and the criteria used for diagnosis. In the same vein, Adeloye et al. (2021) reported that hypertension remains a significant non-communicable disease problem in Nigeria, with concerns relating not only to its prevalence but also to levels of awareness, treatment, and control. More recent evidence supports the continuing burden. Nwankwo et al. (2026) reported a pooled hypertension prevalence of 34.2% among Nigerian adults based on 32 studies involving 49,788 participants.
Knowledge is an important component of hypertension prevention because people need basic information to recognize their risk and understand appropriate preventive behaviour. As stated by Ike et al. (2010), knowledge and perceptions about hypertension and lifestyle modification among Nigerian patients were not always satisfactory, although many respondents were willing to adopt healthier practices after receiving appropriate information.
Ike et al. (2010) stated that misconceptions about the causes of hypertension existed among some Nigerian patients, while health personnel served as an important source of information about lifestyle modification. Supporting this position, poor attitudes toward routine medical examinations may result in delayed blood pressure checks, particularly when individuals feel healthy and do not have noticeable symptoms. For adult men, such attitudes may be influenced by work demands, social expectations, personal beliefs, and the tendency to seek health care only when illness becomes severe.
Akinlua et al. (2015) reported that several Nigerian studies recorded substantial levels of hypertension among men, with prevalence varying across populations and settings. Additionally, occupational stress, sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy food choices, alcohol consumption, tobacco use, and inadequate attention to routine health screening may contribute to increased cardiovascular risk. Preventive health behaviour among men is therefore important not only for individual health but also for reducing the wider social and economic consequences associated with hypertension and its complications.
This study is set against the backdrop of the continuing burden of hypertension in Nigeria, the documented gaps in cardiovascular health knowledge and preventive behaviour, and the need to understand these issues specifically among adult men in Ikot Eneobong Community, Calabar Municipality, Cross River State.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed that hypertension is a major health problem among adults because it often develops without clear symptoms and may remain unnoticed until serious complications occur. Poor knowledge of its causes, risk factors, warning signs, and prevention may make people less likely to check their blood pressure regularly or seek early care. On the other hand, adult men may be exposed to factors such as unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, alcohol use, tobacco use, stress, and delayed health checks, which may increase their risk of developing hypertension.
Furthermore, negative attitudes toward long-term treatment, poor adherence to prescribed medication, and limited attention to preventive health practices may make hypertension difficult to control. These problems are important because early detection, healthy lifestyle practices, and proper treatment are recognized measures for reducing the complications associated with high blood pressure (WHO, 2023). It is against this backdrop that this study seeks to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices regarding hypertension among adult men in Ikot Eneobong Community, Calabar Municipality, Cross River State.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The main aim of this study is to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices regarding hypertension among adult men in Ikot Eneobong Community, Calabar Municipality, Cross River State.
The study specifically seeks to:
- Determine the level of knowledge regarding hypertension among adult men in Ikot Eneobong Community.
- Assess the attitudes of adult men toward hypertension prevention and control.
- Identify the preventive practices adopted by adult men to reduce the risk of hypertension.
- Determine the factors influencing hypertension-related preventive practices among adult men.
- Examine the relationship between knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices regarding hypertension among adult men.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- What is the level of knowledge regarding hypertension among adult men in Ikot Eneobong Community?
- What are the attitudes of adult men toward hypertension prevention and control?
- What preventive practices are adopted by adult men to reduce the risk of hypertension?
- What factors influence hypertension-related preventive practices among adult men?
- What relationship exists between knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices regarding hypertension among adult men?
1.6 Research Hypotheses
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
Hypothesis One
- H0: There is no significant relationship between the level of knowledge and preventive practices regarding hypertension among adult men in Ikot Eneobong Community.
- H1: There is a significant relationship between the level of knowledge and preventive practices regarding hypertension among adult men in Ikot Eneobong Community.
Hypothesis Two
- H0: There is no significant relationship between attitudes toward hypertension and preventive practices among adult men in Ikot Eneobong Community.
- H1: There is a significant relationship between attitudes toward hypertension and preventive practices among adult men in Ikot Eneobong Community.
Hypothesis Three
- H0: There is no significant relationship between knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices regarding hypertension among adult men in Ikot Eneobong Community.
- H1: There is a significant relationship between knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices regarding hypertension among adult men in Ikot Eneobong Community.
1.7 Significance of Study
It is believed that at the completion of the study, families will have useful information for encouraging male family members to check their blood pressure regularly and adopt healthier habits. The study will also provide useful community-level information for planning hypertension screening and health education activities in Cross River State.
Furthermore, the study will help community health workers identify areas where men need more information about hypertension prevention.
Lastly, the study will provide information that will support future academic work on hypertension and preventive health behaviour.
1.8 Scope of Study
The scope of the research is focused on the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Preventive Practices Regarding Hypertension Among Adult Men living in Ikot Eneobong Community, Calabar Municipality, Cross River State, Nigeria. The study does not cover women, children, or adult men living outside the selected community.
1.9 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, there were some problems encountered which stood as limitations to the research work. Some of the limitations include:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
- Initial Cooperation Delay from Respondents: A particular limitation of this work came as a result of the respondent refusal to offer their cooperation at the initial time they were contacted.
1.10 Definition of Terms
Knowledge:
Knowledge refers to the information and understanding a person has about a particular subject. In this study, it refers to what adult men know about hypertension, including its meaning, causes, risk factors, signs, complications, prevention, and control.
Attitude:
Attitude refers to an individual's feelings, beliefs, and general way of thinking about a health condition. In this study, it refers to how adult men perceive hypertension, blood pressure screening, lifestyle changes, treatment, and prevention.
Preventive Practices:
Preventive practices are the actions individuals take to reduce the risk of disease. For this study, they include regular blood pressure checks, healthy eating, reduced salt intake, physical activity, weight control, avoiding tobacco, limiting alcohol, and seeking appropriate health care.
Hypertension:
Hypertension is a condition in which blood pressure remains abnormally high. According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2025), hypertension is generally diagnosed when blood pressure is 140/90 mmHg or higher when measured on two different days.
Blood Pressure:
Blood pressure is the force exerted by circulating blood against the walls of the arteries. It is normally expressed using two values: systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure.
Adult Men:
Adult men refer to male individuals who are 18 years and above. In this study, the term specifically refers to men who reside in Ikot Eneobong Community and meet the study's inclusion criteria.
Risk Factors:
Risk factors are characteristics, behaviours, or conditions that increase the likelihood of developing a disease. For hypertension, examples include unhealthy diet, high salt intake, physical inactivity, excess body weight, tobacco use, and excessive alcohol consumption (WHO, 2025).
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