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

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.