Original Research Article
Year: 2017 | Month: December | Volume: 7 | Issue: 12 | Pages: 31-39
Factors Associated with Adherence to Antihypertensive Treatment among Hypertensives in Urban Field Practicing Areas of Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad
Nazia Tabassum1, R.L. Lakshman Rao2
1Senior Resident, 2Professor and Head of the Department,
Community Medicine Department, Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad
Corresponding Author: Nazia Tabassum
ABSTRACT
Background information: Chronic non-communicable diseases are posing a serious threat to public health throughout the world, irrespective of whether developed and developing, and thus deserve to be treated as a global health priority in this new millennium. Most common non-communicable diseases are cardio-vascular diseases, for which uncontrolled hypertension is a risk factor, which is due to poor adherence to anti-hypertensive medication.
Aims & Objectives:
Aim:-To study the factors associated with adherence to therapy among Hypertensive subjects in Harazpenta, the urban field practice area of Community Medicine Department, Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad.
Objectives:-
1. To determine the socio demographic profile among Hypertensive subjects in urban field practice area of Community Medicine Department, Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad.
2. To identify the factors associated adherence to therapy among the subjects.
Material & Methods:
Study design: Community based cross sectional study.
Study duration: One year from November 2015 to October 2016.
Study setting: Harazpenta, which is the urban field practice area of Community Medicine Department, Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad.
Sample technique: Cluster Sampling.
Sample size:
| N = | Z2 p x q |
| L2 |
P = prevalence of adherence to therapy given by WHO.,P=50% Allowable Error of 7.5%,Final sample size= 376 rounded off to 400 (after adding 10% sample loss).
Selection criteria: Diagnosed Hypertensive subjects who were on treatment for more than 1year.
Data analysis: Data entry done using Microsoft Excel 2007 and analysis done using EPI INFO Version 7.
Results: Out of 376 study participants, 232(61.70%) were highly adherent to their anti-hypertensive medication according to Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8. Out of the total study population majority of them where females(65.1%) ,illiterates(64.89%) and were belonging to Lower middle(38.56%) and Upper Lower(35.90%) class according to modified B.G, Prasad’s classification.
Better adherence and a statically significant association were found in married people 243(64.62%), illiterates 244(64.8%).Individuals belonging to upper socio-economic status 217(57.71%) and those who had family history of hypertension 158(42.02%) had better adherence and the association was statistically significant .Frequency of Blood Pressure monitoring, Cost of medication and No. of pills per day were also statistically significant.
Conclusions: More than half of the Hypertensive subjects showed good adherence patterns to their prescribed medications. The Health system should give priority to the low income families and provide free supply of all classes of antihypertensive medicines. Recently detected hypertensive patients should be closely monitored for adherence to their prescribed antihypertensive medications.
Key words: Adherence, Anti hypertensive medication.