Effectiveness of Leaflet-Based Health Education on Health Behaviour Change in Patients with Hypertension

Abstract

Introduction: Hypertension is among the leading chronic non-communicable diseases and requires sustained lifestyle modification to achieve long-term blood pressure control. Within primary healthcare settings, printed leaflets are commonly incorporated into patient education because they are affordable, simple to distribute, and practical for routine health promotion. However, previous research has produced inconsistent evidence regarding the effectiveness of leaflets in improving various health-related behaviours. Therefore, this study investigated whether leaflet-assisted health education influenced multiple lifestyle behaviours among patients with hypertension receiving care at UPTD Puskesmas Tampapadang. Methods: A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest approach was undertaken among 174 adults with hypertension who were assigned to either an intervention or a control group. Participants in the intervention group (n = 87) received leaflet-assisted health education, while those in the control group (n = 87) received routine counselling without printed leaflets. Outcomes assessed comprised physical activity, dietary behaviour, medication adherence, sleep quality, stress management, and smoking behaviour. Within-group changes were analysed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, whereas between-group differences were evaluated using the Mann–Whitney U test. Results: Comparative analyses demonstrated significant between-group differences in medication adherence (p = 0.010), sleep quality (p = 0.001), and smoking behavior (p < 0.001). No statistically significant between-group differences were identified for physical activity, dietary behaviour, or stress management. Conclusion: The impact of leaflet-assisted health education differed according to the behavioural outcome evaluated. Improvements were more evident for medication adherence, sleep quality, and smoking behaviour whereas no significant effects were found for physical activity, dietary behavior, or stress management compared with routine health counseling. Overall, printed leaflets may serve as a valuable educational resource in primary healthcare, particularly when integrated with complementary educational strategies.

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