THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COMPLIANCE WITH A LOW–SALT DIET AND BLOOD PRESSURE IN ELDERLY HYPERTENSION PATIENTS AT THE KAMARANG COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE CIREBON REGENCY

Hypertension is one of the non–communicable diseases with a steadily increasing
prevalence, both globally and nationally. In Indonesia, the prevalence of hypertension rose
from 31.7% in 2007 to 38.1% in 2018. In Cirebon District, hypertension is the fourth most
common disease, with 37,601 cases reported. According to data from the Kamarang Health
Centre, hypertension ranks third among the top ten most common diseases, with 238 elderly
individuals recorded as patients during the period from January to March 2025. One
controllable risk factor in managing hypertension is salt intake. A low–salt diet is an
effective non–pharmacological strategy for lowering blood pressure without causing
significant side effects.
This study aims to determine the relationship between adherence to a low–salt diet
and blood pressure in elderly hypertensive patients at the Kamarang Community Health
Centre in Cirebon District.
This study uses a quantitative method with a cross–sectional research design.
Sampling was conducted using accidental sampling techniques, resulting in 71 elderly
respondents with hypertension.
The results showed that the majority of elderly individuals, 60 people (85%), were
non–compliant with a low–salt diet. The chi–square test yielded a p–value of 0.003,
indicating a significant association between adherence to a low–salt diet and blood
pressure in the elderly.