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Table 1 Summary of focus group findings

From: Perceptions of hypertension treatment among patients with and without diabetes

Issue

Hypertensive patients with diabetes

Hypertensive patients without diabetes

Hypertension as a disease

Accept that hypertension is a chronic disease

See hypertension as a temporary physiological reaction to stress

Importance of hypertension

Hypertension has the potential to cause major damage but minor in comparison with diabetes

Hypertension has the potential to cause major damage

Impact of disease

As opposed to diabetes, which cause cumulative damage hypertension does no immediate damage and is a long term risk factor for an outcome that may or may not happen

Hypertension does no immediate damage and is a long term risk factor for an outcome that may or may not happen

Coping mechanisms

Treatment is easy compared to care of diabetes and becomes part of their routine

Treatment can be overwhelming and there are several different coping mechanisms

Impact of medication on sexual function

Effect is acknowledged but thought to be minor compared with diabetes

None of the male participants acknowledged any impact