Early Detection of Hypertension through Free Health Checks and Education to Increase Public Health Awarness and Quality in Rejosari Village, Bantur District, Malang Regency

Hypertension is a disease as well as a risk factor for other diseases that have claimed many human lives. According to the Ministry of Health in 2020, hypertension is defined as a condition where the systolic pressure is 140 mmHg and/or diastolic pressure is 90 mmHg. Hypertension is also called the silent killer because it often occurs without complaints and most of the causes of death from hypertension occur when complications occur.

Based on data from the Malang District Health Office in 2018, hypertension was ranked third with the most cases after gastritis and influenza. Based on the results of a survey conducted in Rejosari Village, Malang Regency, most people with hypertension are housewives and the elderly. Often they are not aware of the importance of regular care and checking their blood pressure. For this reason, health screening in the form of blood pressure health checks, free weight and height measurements and hypertension education are carried out to increase understanding and awareness of hypertension with prevention and treatment efforts. 

In improving this, the extension agent and person in charge of the activity, Meisya Awaliahmunazila, who is a student majoring in Public Health Sciences, State University of Malang in 2020 and part of the Independent Real Work Lecture team, Learns Merdeka Campus Building a Village in 2022 in collaboration with four Rejosari Village cadres, Malang Regency, last Thursday (29/09).

 

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The activity, located at the Rejosari Village Hall, Bantur District, Malang Regency, started at 08.00 -- 10.00 WIB and was attended by 20 participants, dominated by women from four different hamlet halls, namely Balewerti, Njeding, Kutukan, and Krajan hamlets. Participants who have attended are welcome to check blood pressure, measure weight and height. After all participants have done a health check, they are given time to fill out the pretest, then the presentation of hypertension education begins.

Entitled "Quick Response to Hypertension", the provision of education began with the extension worker explaining what hypertension is, its types, complications, symptoms, and prevention and treatment of hypertension. After giving an education, participants were given time to fill out the post-test. Pretest and post-test given aim to measure the level of understanding of the participants towards the material presented. This form of activity is carried out to make the public aware of the dangers of hypertension if action is not taken immediately and to increase public awareness to be more responsive to check their health to health workers or the nearest health facility. The provision of hypertension education posters will be displayed at four posyandu points in Rejosari Village. It aims to always remind and increase awareness of the Rejosari Village community against hypertension.

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Participants thanked the parties involved in organizing the activity for the knowledge that had been given and hoped that what had been conveyed could be understood and implemented as well as possible, and was expected to become a sustainable program.