Knowledge and Practice of Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension Management Among Antenatal Care Attendees at Primary Healthcare Centers in an Urban Local Government Area, Rivers State

Abstract

Background: Comorbid diabetes mellitus and hypertension in pregnancy significantly increase the risk of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Knowledge and appropriate management practices are essential to reducing complications, especially in low- and middleincome countries like Nigeria. This study assessed the level of knowledge and practices relating to the management of diabetes mellitus and hypertension among antenatal care attendees in an urban Local Government Area (LGA), Rivers State, Nigeria. Methodology: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 306 antenatal care attendees in nine PHC facilities in an urban LGA from December 4th 2024 to January 25th 2025. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire and analysed with Stata version 16. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge and practices of the respondents while binary logistic regression was used to determine the predictors associated with knowledge and practice. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 29.85±4.1 years (SE = 0.38), with the majority between 25-35 years. Less than half of the respondents demonstrated good knowledge (48.1%), while more than half of the respondents (56.9%) demonstrated good practice of diabetes and hypertension. Almost nine-tenths (89.6%) of the respondents had heard about diabetes and hypertension primarily from health workers (61.3%) and social media (22.4%). Knowledge was significantly associated with marital status, education level, and average monthly income, while practice was significantly influenced by income, educational background, and gestational age. Conclusion: Although awareness of diabetes and hypertension is high among pregnant women, knowledge depth and management practices remain suboptimal. Targeted health education and counselling should be strengthened during antenatal visits to enhance early detection, lifestyle modification, and adherence to treatment.