The Effect of a Low-Sodium Dietary Promotion Program Using Social Support on Knowledge, Sodium Intake Behaviors, and Blood Pressure Levels among Patients with Uncontrolled Hypertension

Abstract

This one-group pre- and post-experimental study aimed to investigate the effects of a low-sodium dietary promotion program using social support on knowledge, sodium consumption behavior, and blood pressure levels in patients with uncontrolled hypertension. The sample consisted of 25 participants selected through purposive sampling. The research instruments were divided into 1) experimental instruments, including the low-sodium dietary promotion program using social support, and 2) data collection instruments, including a knowledge questionnaire about sodium consumption, a sodium consumption behavior questionnaire, and blood pressure level assessment. The content validity of the knowledge questionnaire was evaluated, and all items demonstrated IOC values greater than 0.50, and the CVI for the sodium consumption behavior questionnaire was 0.80. The reliability values were 0.87 and 0.70, respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and the paired t-test.

The research findings indicate that after the intervention, the average knowledge scores of hypertensive patients significantly increased compared to before the program (p = 0.01). Most sodium consumption behaviors were at a moderate level (68%), and after participating in the program, it was found that hypertensive patients with uncontrolled blood pressure had significantly lower average blood pressure values than before the program (systolic blood pressure t = -4.43, p < 0.01; diastolic blood pressure t = -2.15, p = 0.04). In conclusion, the low-sodium food consumption promotion program using social support is effective in increasing knowledge about low-sodium consumption and controlling blood pressure levels in uncontrolled hypertensive patients.