The relationship between the level of health literacy and the level compliance to the management programme of hypertension for employees working at a coal mine in Mpumalanga

Abstract

Work place health programs are designed to help the employees manage their illnesses, prevent disease and promote health. Anecdotal evidence indicates that poorly educated people lack the potential to understand and use all the information that is made available to them in order to have healthy outcomes. The objective of this study was to determine whether there is any relationship between the level of health literacy and the level of compliance to the management programme of hypertension for employees working at a coal mine in Mpumalanga. A descriptive correlation design was used in this study. The population of this study was a purposively selected number of employees suffering from hypertension that were working at a coal mine and treated at the mine occupational health centre (N = 140.)Data collection was done through interviewer-administered questionnaires. Participants were recruited during the yearly chronic disease awareness programme. The Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine Revised tool (REALM-R) was used to test the level of health literacy and measurement of their blood pressure was taken and compared to the baseline blood pressure measurement (taken before commencement of therapy) as a proxy measurement to determine the compliance level to management of hypertension. This study showed no evidence of relationship between level of health literacy and level compliance to management programme of hypertension for employees working at a coal mine in Mpumalanga. It is then suggested that further research studies be conducted to determine the reasons for non-compliance to management programme of hypertension