Effectiveness of the e-Aulia website in improving knowledge and attitude toward hypertension management among community members

Abstract

Hypertension is a silent but significant public health concern, particularly in low-resource settings such as Indonesia. In Pasir Village, Central Pariaman, Pariaman City - West Sumatra, Indonesia, many individuals with hypertension lack adequate knowledge and show limited adherence to healthy behaviors. Existing education tools, such as generic posters and verbal counseling, were largely ineffective, lacking interactivity and depth. Based on this, the Activity Daily Living Hypertension with Digital Assistance (e-Aulia) website was developed as an innovative digital platform to strengthen hypertension education. The platform integrated short videos, quizzes, reminders, and culturally relevant content such as local herbal knowledge, designed to be visually engaging with audio narration, and accessible anytime via smartphones, laptops, or desktop computers. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the e-Aulia platform in improving knowledge and attitudes among hypertensive patients. A quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group was employed. The sample size of 50 respondents (25 intervention, 25 control) was determined based on recommendations for quasi-experimental studies (minimum 25 per group), and participants were selected through purposive sampling according to inclusion criteria that included diagnosed hypertension in Pasir Village, willingness to participate, and ability to use digital media. Pre-test and post-test evaluations were analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test. In the intervention group, adequate knowledge increased from 52.0% to 84.0%, and positive attitudes from 48.0% to 84.0%. All participants improved in knowledge (p = 0.000), and 92.0% improved in attitude (p = 0.000). By contrast, the control group showed modest changes, with knowledge rising from 60.0% to 72.0% and positive attitudes from 56.0% to 64.0%. These results demonstrate that the e-Aulia website significantly improved knowledge and attitudes, and holds strong potential as a scalable, community-based digital health education tool in resource-limited settings.