Efficacy of rational emotive behavior therapy for the improvement of knowledge and risk perception of hypertension among university lecturers in South East Nigeria: REBT for university lecturers’ hypertension improvement

Abstract

Background: This study determined the effectiveness of a rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT) intervention on knowledge of risks of hypertension among university lecturers in South-east geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Methods: The study used a group randomized controlled trial design to group the participants into treatment group and a waiting-list control group and the hypertension knowledge questionnaire and the Perceived Risks of Hypertension Questionnaire to collect a pretest, posttest, and follow-up data of this study. The sample of the study was 84 university lecturers in public universities in Southeast Nigeria (University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State) who satisfies the requirements to participate in the study. The study lasted for 10 weeks. The data collected for the study were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and t test statistics. Results: The findings of this study were that REBT health educational intervention effectively increased the education foundation and business education lecturers’ knowledge and perceived risk of hypertension compared to participants in waitlist group. Lastly, the outcomes of the follow-up measures indicate that the increased knowledge and perceived risks of hypertension acquired during the training program was sustained by the treatment group one month after the end of program. Conclusion: The REBT health educational intervention program could be utilized to increase knowledge and perceived risks of hypertension among university lecturers in public universities in Southeast Nigeria.