Perceived Family Support and Medication Adherence Among Hypertensive Patients in Rivers State, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71637/tnhj.v25i2.1075Keywords:
Perceived family support, medication adherence, hypertension, MMAS-8 (Morisky Medication Adherence Scale), PSS-Fa (Perceived Social Support–Family)Abstract
Background: Hypertension is a major public health problem worldwide. As a chronic condition posing a major health challenge to the adult population, poor medication adherence has been shown to cause uncontrolled blood pressure and poor treatment outcomes. This study assessed the perceived family support and medication adherence among hypertensive patients at a Tertiary Centre in Rivers State.
Method: This was a cross-sectional design conducted among 414 adult hypertensive patients using a simple random sampling technique. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Eligible participants were adult aged 18 years and above and who were on antihypertensive medications, were recruited for the study, while critically ill patients were excluded. Chi-square test was used to assess the association between categorical variables.
Results: The mean age of participants was 57.68 ± 12.0 years. Females made up the majority of participants (65.7%). Only 33.6% of the participants were adherent to their medications. Perceived family support was rated as strong in 97% of the participants and weak in 3%. A statistically significant association was found between perceived family support and medication adherence (p = 0.0409).
Conclusion: Medication adherence was low despite the reported presence of strong family support. A significant association was observed between perceived family support and medication adherence. Healthcare providers, therefore, should leverage this support system by encouraging active family involvement in patient care.
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