Attitudes of health professionals towards healthy nutrition and prevention of hypertension; cross-sectional correlational study

Hakime Aslan

doi:10.18614/dehm.1873836

Attitudes of health professionals towards healthy nutrition and prevention of hypertension; cross-sectional correlational study

Abstract

BACKGROUND This study was conducted to evaluate the attitudes of healthcare professionals toward healthy nutrition and the prevention of hypertension. METHODS The study was a cross-sectional-correlational study. The study was conducted in a public hospital in eastern Türkiye between September and December of 2022. The study population consisted of all healthcare professionals working in the hospital (N:957). A sample of 356 professionals was selected based on a power analysis. 37.1% of the population was surveyed. ‘The Attitude Scale for Healthy Nutrition' and 'Attitudes Scale towards Prevention of Hypertension' were used to collect data. The data were analysed using the SPSS 22 package program. Numbers, percentages, means, one-way ANOVA, independent sample t-test, Pearson correlation and linear regresion tests were used to evaluate the data. RESULTS Health workers received a total score of 73.19±11.30 on the attitude scale for healthy nutrition and demonstrated positive attitudes. They received 107.21±23.65 points on the attitudes scale towards prevention of hypertension and also had positive attitudes. A weak positive correlation was found between attitudes toward healthy nutrition and attitudes toward preventing hypertension (r : 0.386). Weekly working hours, alcohol consumption, dieting, and healthy nutrition were determined to be variables affecting attitudes toward healthy nutrition. Educational level, years of employment, weekly working hours, and healthy nutrition were found to affect attitudes toward the prevention of hypertension. CONCLUSION As a result, health professionals had positive attitudes toward healthy nutrition and preventing hypertension. As positive attitudes toward healthy nutrition increased, so did attitudes toward preventing hypertension.

Keywords

References

1. T.C. Ministry of Health. Healthy eating and physical activity teacher handbook [Internet]. Ankara: Ministry of Health; 2019.
2. Tekkurşun Demir G, Cicioğlu Hİ. Attitude Scale for Healthy Nutrition (ASHN): validity and reliability study. Gaziantep Univ J Sport Sci. 2019;4(2):256-274. doi:10.31680/gaunjss.559462
3. Şengün N, Pala R, Çınar V, Akbulut T, Larion A, Padulo J, et al. Alterations in biomarkers associated with cardiovascular health and obesity with short-term lifestyle changes in overweight women: the role of exercise and diet. Medicina (Kaunas). 2024;60(12):2019. doi:10.3390/medicina60122019
4. Gürbüz P, Yetiş K. Determination of nutritional habits of health services vocational school students. J Inonu Univ Voc Sch Health Serv. 2018;6(2):54-63.
5. Demir HP, Elkin N, Barut AY, Bayram HM, Averi S. Evaluation of sleep duration and nutritional status of health personnel working in shifts. IGUSABDER. 2017;2:89-107.
6. Yurtseven E, Eren F, Vehid S, Köksal S, Erginöz E, Erdoğan M. Evaluation of the dietary habits of white-collar workers. KTD. 2014;15(1):20-26. doi:10.18229/ktd.74513
7. Learthart S. Health effects of internal rotation of shifts. Nurs Stand. 2000;14(47):34-36. doi:10.7748/ns2000.08.14.47.34.c2895
8. Özdemir GP, Ökmen CA, Yılmaz O. Shift work disorder and psychological and physical effects of shift work. Curr Approaches Psychiatry. 2018;10(1):71-83.

9. Dominguez LJ, Gea A, Ruiz-Estigarribia L, Sayón-Orea C, Fresán U, Barbagallo M, et al. Low dietary magnesium and overweight/obesity in a Mediterranean population: a detrimental synergy for the development of hypertension. The SUN Project. Nutrients. 2021;13(1):125. doi:10.3390/nu13010125
10. World Health Organization. Hypertension [Internet]. Geneva: WHO; 2022.
11. Geaney F, Fitzgerald S, Harrington JM, Kelly C, Greiner BA, Perry IJ. Nutrition knowledge, diet quality and hypertension in a working population. Prev Med Rep. 2015;2:105-113. doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2014.11.008
12. Kılıç M, Çetinkaya F. Prevalence of health problems in health workers in Yozgat city centre and factors affecting them. J Health Sci. 2011;20(3):184-194.
13. Jiang SZ, Lu W, Zong XF, Ruan HY, Liu Y. Obesity and hypertension. Exp Ther Med. 2016;12(4):2395-2399. doi:10.3892/etm.2016.3667
14. Çalışkan Z, Saykılı S. Healthy lifestyle behaviors and anthropometric measurements of provincial health directorate employees. Ankara J Health Sci. 2020;9(2):1-12. doi:10.46971/ausbid.769912
15. Psaltopoulou T, Naska A, Orfanos P, Trichopoulos D, Mountokalakis T, Trichopoulou A. Olive oil, the Mediterranean diet, and arterial blood pressure: the Greek EPIC study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004;80(4):1012-1018. doi:10.1093/ajcn/80.4.1012
16. Unal RN. Nutrition in the prevention and treatment of hypertension: current approaches. Bes Diy Derg. 2015;43(1):78-86.
17. Ekim M. The importance of nutrition and lifestyle changes in the treatment of hypertension. Bozok Med J. 2018;8(2):80-85. doi:10.16919/bozoktip.335813
18. Demir H. Investigation of healthy lifestyle behaviours of health workers [master’s thesis]. Konya: Necmettin Erbakan University; 2024.
19. Albayrak Z, Şengezer T. Attitude Scale for Prevention of HT development in individuals who have a family member with hypertension. Turk J Fam Pract. 2022;26(2):53-65. doi:10.54308/tahd.2022.52296
20. Bıçakçı HS. Evaluation of health perception and nutritional habits of university hospital health personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic [expertise thesis]. Konya: Necmettin Erbakan University; 2022.
21. Torquati L, Pavey T, Kolbe-Alexander T, Leveritt M. Promoting diet and physical activity in nurses. Am J Health Promot. 2017;31(1):19-27. doi:10.4278/ajhp.141107-LIT-562
22. Spronk I, Kullen C, Burdon C, O'Connor H. Relationship between nutrition knowledge and dietary intake. Br J Nutr. 2014;111(10):1713-1726. doi:10.1017/S0007114514000087
23. Dembe AE, Erickson JB, Delbos RG, Banks SM. The impact of overtime and long work hours on occupational injuries and illnesses. Occup Environ Med. 2005;62(9):588-597. doi:10.1136/oem.2004.016667
24. Sengwana MJ, Puoane T. Knowledge, beliefs and attitudes of community health workers about hypertension. Curationis. 2004;27(1):65-71. doi:10.4102/curationis.v27i1.958
25. Gupta R, Sharma KK, Gupta BK, Gupta A, Gupta RR, Deedwania PC. Educational status-related disparities in cardiovascular risk factors in India. Heart Asia. 2015;7(1):1-6. doi:10.1136/heartasia-2014-010551
26. Owolabi AO, Owolabi MO, OlaOlorun AD, Olofin A. Work-related stress perception and hypertension among health workers. Afr J Prim Health Care Fam Med. 2012;4(1):307. doi:10.4102/phcfm.v4i1.307
27. Johnson JV, Lipscomb J. Long working hours, occupational health and work organization. Am J Ind Med. 2006;49(11):921-929. doi:10.1002/ajim.20383
28. Global Health Council. A global brief on hypertension: silent killer, global public health crisis [Internet]. Washington DC; 2013.
29. Cena H, Calder PC. Defining a healthy diet: evidence for contemporary dietary patterns. Nutrients. 2020;12(2):334. doi:10.3390/nu12020334
30. Samadian F, Dalili N, Jamalian A. Lifestyle modifications to prevent and control hypertension. Iran J Kidney Dis. 2016;10(5):237-263.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Clinical Sciences (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Hakime Aslan
0000-0003-1495-3614
Türkiye

Publication Date

January 28, 2026

Submission Date

March 5, 2025

Acceptance Date

September 23, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 40 Number: 1

DOI

https://doi.org/10.18614/dehm.1873836

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA87TG83KA

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Aslan, H. (2026). Attitudes of health professionals towards healthy nutrition and prevention of hypertension; cross-sectional correlational study. Developments and Experiments in Health and Medicine, 40(1), 77-90. https://doi.org/10.18614/dehm.1873836

AMA

1.Aslan H. Attitudes of health professionals towards healthy nutrition and prevention of hypertension; cross-sectional correlational study. Dev Exp Health Med. 2026;40(1):77-90. doi:10.18614/dehm.1873836

Chicago

Aslan, Hakime. 2026. “Attitudes of Health Professionals towards Healthy Nutrition and Prevention of Hypertension; Cross-Sectional Correlational Study”. Developments and Experiments in Health and Medicine 40 (1): 77-90. https://doi.org/10.18614/dehm.1873836.

EndNote

Aslan H (January 1, 2026) Attitudes of health professionals towards healthy nutrition and prevention of hypertension; cross-sectional correlational study. Developments and Experiments in Health and Medicine 40 1 77–90.

IEEE

[1]H. Aslan, “Attitudes of health professionals towards healthy nutrition and prevention of hypertension; cross-sectional correlational study”, Dev Exp Health Med, vol. 40, no. 1, pp. 77–90, Jan. 2026, doi: 10.18614/dehm.1873836.

ISNAD

Aslan, Hakime. “Attitudes of Health Professionals towards Healthy Nutrition and Prevention of Hypertension; Cross-Sectional Correlational Study”. Developments and Experiments in Health and Medicine 40/1 (January 1, 2026): 77-90. https://doi.org/10.18614/dehm.1873836.

JAMA

1.Aslan H. Attitudes of health professionals towards healthy nutrition and prevention of hypertension; cross-sectional correlational study. Dev Exp Health Med. 2026;40:77–90.

MLA

Aslan, Hakime. “Attitudes of Health Professionals towards Healthy Nutrition and Prevention of Hypertension; Cross-Sectional Correlational Study”. Developments and Experiments in Health and Medicine, vol. 40, no. 1, Jan. 2026, pp. 77-90, doi:10.18614/dehm.1873836.

Vancouver

1.Hakime Aslan. Attitudes of health professionals towards healthy nutrition and prevention of hypertension; cross-sectional correlational study. Dev Exp Health Med. 2026 Jan. 1;40(1):77-90. doi:10.18614/dehm.1873836