Archives of Medicine and Health Sciences / Jan-Jun 2014 / Vol 2 | Issue 1 23 Original Article Introduction The prevalence of hypertension is on the rise globally. [1] Among adults aged 25 and over, it was around 40% in 2008 amounting to 1 billion people [resulting in estimated 7.5 million deaths (12.8% annual deaths) and 57 million DALYs. [2] Overall estimate Corresponding Author: Mr. Samuel O. Azubuike, Community Health Unit, School of Health Sciences, National Open University of Nigeria, 14/16 Ahmadu Bellow way, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria. E-mail: samonaz2000@yahoo.com Samuel O. Azubuike, Rahab Kurmi 1 Community Health Unit, School of Health Sciences, National Open University of Nigeria, 14/16 Ahmadu Bellow Way,Victoria Island, Lagos, 1 Primary Health Care Department, Sanga Local Government, Kaduna State, Nigeria Awareness, practices, and prevalence of hypertension among rural Nigerian women ABSTRACT Background: High blood pressure is on the rise globally, affecting more women than men in many developing countries. It is the leading cause of mortality worldwide, and hospitalization in sub-Saharan Africa. Many known risk factors to hypertension, though prevalent in Nigeria, are controllable. Prevention, however, is difficult where there is poor awareness, attitude, and practices. Objectives: The study aims at determining the level of knowledge of hypertension and its associated factors, attitudes, practices, and prevalence among rural Nigerian women. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional design was used to study 252 subjects in Sanga Local Government Area. Subject selection was by purposive and stratified sampling techniques. Data were collected using self-administered, semi-structured questionnaire after informed consents were obtained both verbally and in writing. Data were analyzed using SPSS statistical package. Level of significant was taken at 0.05. Results: Prevalence of hypertension was 24.2%. Average level of risk factor awareness was 65.4% with excessive salt intake (77.4%) being the most recognized. Asymptomatic nature of hypertension was recognized by 61.5% of the respondents, while 44.4% only knew the standard method for hypertension detection. While 17.5% strongly believed that hypertension can be managed effectively with drugs, it was only 9.1% that strongly disagreed that it could be caused by evil spirits. The average number of those with good preventive life style practices was 61.3%. Knowledge was associated with several factors and seems to affect practices (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Fair but inadequate level of knowledge and attitudes affected by several factors, as well as moderately high prevalence was recorded. Key words: Awareness, hypertension, practice, prevalence, women for Nigeria was 42.8% (far higher than 25% in an indigenous study.) [3] Raised blood pressure is a major risk factor to coronary heart disease, hemorrhagic stroke, visual impairment etc. [4,5] Hypertension is the most common chronic disease in developed and underdeveloped countries. [6-8] Hypertension, though controllable by various mean [9-11] yet the prevalence remains high in Nigeria, especially among women [2] due to ignorance, poverty, and non-compliance. [12,13] Materials and Methods The study was carried out in Sanga local government area of Kaduna State and involved women aged 15-60 years Access this article online Quick Response Code: Website: www.amhsjournal.org DOI: 10.4103/2321-4848.133791 AP done on 20140210 [Downloaded free from http://www.amhsjournal.org on Saturday, January 02, 2016, IP: 128.240.225.47]