Influence of socio-demographic characteristics on the level of physical activity among patients with hypertension attending selected hypertension clinics in Mbarara City, Southwestern Uganda: A cross-sectional study

Influence of socio-demographic characteristics on the level of physical activity among patients with hypertension attending selected hypertension clinics in Mbarara City, Southwestern Uganda: A cross-sectional study | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Influence of socio-demographic characteristics on the level of physical activity among patients with hypertension attending selected hypertension clinics in Mbarara City, Southwestern Uganda: A cross-sectional study Edward Muteesasira, Night Atwongyeire, Anna Maria Ssewanyana, and 8 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8950883/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Revision Version 1 posted 14 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background Physical activity is a critical non-pharmacological intervention for managing hypertension and reducing cardiovascular complications. In Southwestern Uganda, the rising burden of hypertension-related morbidity is often attributed to sedentary lifestyles. However, there is limited evidence on how specific socio-demographic characteristics influence physical activity levels in Mbarara City, Southwestern Uganda. Objective To investigate the influence of socio-demographic characteristics on physical activity levels among patients with hypertension attending selected hypertension clinics in Mbarara City, Southwestern Uganda. Methods A descriptive, quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted among patients with hypertension at selected hypertension clinics in Mbarara City, Southwestern Uganda. Data was collected using a researcher-administered questionnaire consisting of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire(IPAQ) to assess physical activity levels. Sociodemographic characteristics assessed for included; age, gender, place of residence, occupation, monthly income, marital status, duration of hypertension, level of education, heard of physical activity and source of information(from whom). Data were analyzed using frequency distributions, Fisher’s exact test, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression to establish associations at a 95% confidence interval. Results 141 participants participated in the study. Median age of the participants was 58 years (IQR = 14).Females accounted for 67.4% (95/141) of the participants while males accounted for 32.6% (46/141).Only 45.39% of the participants were found to be physically active. Socio-demographic characteristics that were significantly associated with physical activity using the Fischer’s exact test were; place of residence (p-value = 0.016 < 0.05), level of education(p-value = 0.026 < 0.05) and heard of physical activity (p-value = 0.027 < 0.05). On bivariate analysis, level of education (cOR = 1.420; CI = 1.106–1.84; p-value = 0.006) and heard of physical activity (cOR = 3.934; CI = 1.234–12.452; p-value = 0.020) whereas on multivariate adjustment, level of education (aOR = 1.374; CI = 1.055–1.790; p-value = 0.018) was the only significant sociodemographic characteristic associated with physical activity. Conclusion Less than half of the patients with hypertension in Mbarara City are physically inactive. Significant socio-demographic characteristics such as level of education and knowledge of physical activity, are critical predictors of adherence to physical activity guidelines as stipulated by the World Health Organization. These findings advocate for integrated health education and community-based physical activity programs tailored to the unique demographic landscape of Mbarara City, Southwestern Uganda. Socio-demographic characteristics Physical activity Hypertension Mbarara City Southwestern Uganda Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Revision Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 12 May, 2026 Reviews received at journal 07 May, 2026 Reviews received at journal 04 May, 2026 Reviews received at journal 29 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 27 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 26 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 22 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 18 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 30 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 25 Mar, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 23 Mar, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 05 Mar, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 05 Mar, 2026 First submitted to journal 23 Feb, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8950883","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":595901976,"identity":"217460c4-f88c-4c41-9294-719a72e170c8","order_by":0,"name":"Edward 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hypertension attending selected hypertension clinics in Mbarara City, Southwestern Uganda: A cross-sectional study","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-public-health","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Public Health](https://link.springer.com/journal/12982)","snPcode":"12982","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/12982/3","title":"Discover Public Health","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Socio-demographic characteristics, Physical activity, Hypertension, Mbarara City, Southwestern Uganda","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8950883/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8950883/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003eBackground\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003ePhysical activity is a critical non-pharmacological intervention for managing hypertension and reducing cardiovascular complications. In Southwestern Uganda, the rising burden of hypertension-related morbidity is often attributed to sedentary lifestyles. However, there is limited evidence on how specific socio-demographic characteristics influence physical activity levels in Mbarara City, Southwestern Uganda.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eObjective\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eTo investigate the influence of socio-demographic characteristics on physical activity levels among patients with hypertension attending selected hypertension clinics in Mbarara City, Southwestern Uganda.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethods\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA descriptive, quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted among patients with hypertension at selected hypertension clinics in Mbarara City, Southwestern Uganda. Data was collected using a researcher-administered questionnaire consisting of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire(IPAQ) to assess physical activity levels. Sociodemographic characteristics assessed for included; age, gender, place of residence, occupation, monthly income, marital status, duration of hypertension, level of education, heard of physical activity and source of information(from whom). Data were analyzed using frequency distributions, Fisher\u0026rsquo;s exact test, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression to establish associations at a 95% confidence interval.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003e141 participants participated in the study. Median age of the participants was 58 years (IQR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;14).Females accounted for 67.4% (95/141) of the participants while males accounted for 32.6% (46/141).Only 45.39% of the participants were found to be physically active. Socio-demographic characteristics that were significantly associated with physical activity using the Fischer\u0026rsquo;s exact test were; place of residence (p-value\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.016\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05), level of education(p-value\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.026\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05) and heard of physical activity (p-value\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.027\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). On bivariate analysis, level of education (cOR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.420; CI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.106\u0026ndash;1.84; p-value\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.006) and heard of physical activity (cOR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;3.934; CI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.234\u0026ndash;12.452; p-value\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.020) whereas on multivariate adjustment, level of education (aOR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.374; CI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.055\u0026ndash;1.790; p-value\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.018) was the only significant sociodemographic characteristic associated with physical activity.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusion\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eLess than half of the patients with hypertension in Mbarara City are physically inactive. Significant socio-demographic characteristics such as level of education and knowledge of physical activity, are critical predictors of adherence to physical activity guidelines as stipulated by the World Health Organization. These findings advocate for integrated health education and community-based physical activity programs tailored to the unique demographic landscape of Mbarara City, Southwestern Uganda.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Influence of socio-demographic characteristics on the level of physical activity among patients with hypertension attending selected hypertension clinics in Mbarara City, Southwestern Uganda: A cross-sectional study","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-02-25 08:56:06","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8950883/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2026-05-12T09:59:28+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-07T21:24:03+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-04T15:25:13+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-29T06:27:37+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"134720231761154544086442612776712082290","date":"2026-04-27T04:33:31+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"324439913487951049577814537289607314476","date":"2026-04-26T20:28:00+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"321281000934084936397581719641654049406","date":"2026-04-22T05:13:10+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-18T22:28:19+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"31700064013959046075032307145002679362","date":"2026-03-30T07:25:28+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"110181221528984849192362103938165478943","date":"2026-03-25T09:38:53+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-03-23T14:55:00+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-03-05T06:05:54+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-03-05T06:02:53+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Discover Public Health","date":"2026-02-23T21:47:30+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-public-health","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Public Health](https://link.springer.com/journal/12982)","snPcode":"12982","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/12982/3","title":"Discover Public Health","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"ab109e1a-aeed-4a51-bf2c-950e17dff693","owner":[],"postedDate":"February 25th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2026-05-12T09:59:28+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-07T21:24:03+00:00","index":85,"fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-04T15:25:13+00:00","index":84,"fulltext":""}],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"in-revision","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-12T10:50:40+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-02-25 08:56:06","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8950883","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8950883","identity":"rs-8950883","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}