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Table 5 Factors facilitating compliance with behavioral measures: thematic matrix of categories, subcategories and concepts (n = 40)

From: Perceptions of inhibitors and facilitators for adhering to hypertension treatment among insured patients in rural Nigeria: a qualitative study

A) Salt reduction

Category

Sub-category

Concepts

1) Health education

Multiple educational channels

Information from extra channels (radio, church, mosque) reinforces Doctor’s effort [n = 9]*

 

Relevance and local content of education messages

Counseling on available suitable local substitutes for salt, maggi – Iru ‘Locust beans’ paste [n = 9]

Counseling on ‘saltiness’ of meals not self-prepared – (food from canteens, social ‘parties) [n = 4]

2) Local practices

Compliance easy with substitutes

‘Iru’ cheap, easy to find [n = 9]

3) Social support factors

Family cooperation

Readiness of other family members to adjust to meals prepared with less salt [n = 26]

B) Weight control

  

Category

Sub-category

Concepts

1) Local practices

Perception of body size; weight and beauty

Societal view that being too fat means ugliness, sexual unattractiveness [n = 5]

 

Perception of body size; weight and body smartness

Perception that being too fat leads to physical unfitness (can’t lift body) [n = 3]

 

Vegetable gardening and farming practice

Vegetables cheaply available and easily grown [n = 4]

 

Possibility and practice of fishing (from local rivers)

Fish easily available and more consumed than meat [n = 7]

C) Exercising

  

Category

Sub-category

Concepts

1) Social support factors

Awareness that exercise requires not much extra effort such as:

Possible to exercise using everyday activities [n = 11]

 

using household chores to exercise

Sweeping, washing clothes, Pulling water from well [n = 10]

 

farming to exercise

Hoeing, shoveling, clearing bush, harvesting, gardening [n = 4]

 

transporting to exercise

Canoe paddling, bicycling, walking [n = 23]

 

preparing food to exercise

Mortar grinding/pounding, wood axing [n = 11]

 

exercising during religious worship practice/meetings

Clapping, dancing, singing, jumping, bending & rising [n = 5]

 

using leisure to exercise

Drumming, cultural dancing [n = 11]

2) Patient related factors

Perceived influence of exercise on hypertension

Exercising makes body light and good for BP control [n = 27]

3) Health education

Reinforcement through education

Exposure to regular counseling on need to exercise [n = 19]

D) Quitting/not using tobacco, alcohol, stimulants

Category

Sub-category

Concepts

Religion related factors

Faith based support (health counseling)

Abhorrence of ‘ungodly’ (unhealthy) social habits (smoking, alcohol use) by Islam and Christianity [n = 2]

Social support factors

Gender based support (societal view)

African society frowns at the habit of women smoking or using alcohol [n = 2]