| dc.description.abstract | Background: Hypertension is one of the most important cardiovascular diseases but its control is still a challenge all round the world. Control of blood pressure can reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, so the adherence to anti hypertensive drugs plays an important role for the control of hypertension. The study investigated factors affecting adherence to anti hypertensive drugs among patients attending Uganda heart institute (UHI).
Objectives: The study was guided by three objectives; 1) to identify the patient related factors affecting adherence to anti hypertensive drugs; 2) to identify the Health system related factors affecting adherence to anti hypertensive drugs; 3) to identify the prevalence of non- adherence to anti hypertensive drugs.
Methodology: The study was descriptive cross-section design, which was conducted in Uganda Heart Institute in Mulago hospital. The study populations were hypertensive patients who are using anti hypertensive treatment that attended the hypertensive clinics and those admitted in Uganda Heart Institute (UHI). A total of 126 patients were included in the study; the study used simple random sampling. In this study data were collected using structured questionnaires. Data was analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) software program (version 16), frequency distribution and percentages. Bivariate analysis and multivariate analysis was done using multivariate regression to identify variables which are strongest predictor among variables of adherence to anti hypertensive drugs. Whereas, P value of equal and less than 0.05 was considered statistical significant.
Results: In this study the majority (70.6%) of the respondents in the area of study were adherent to their anti hypertensive medications. In the study, findings showed that statistically significant associated patients related factors, health systems related factors and adherence were sex (p - 0.00), level of education ( p – 0.00), residence( p – 0.00) and monthly income ( p – 0.00), waiting time for drugs (p - 0.00) and consulting time ( p – 0.00).
Conclusion and Recommendation:
It is concluded that the majority (70.6%) of the respondents in the area of study were adherent to their anti hypertensive medications. Nurses interventions to improve patients adherence to antihypertensive drugs should include patient's health education and counseling centered on sex and level of education in relation to adherence to hypertensive drugs. The MOH should plan strategies to improve antihpertensive drug adherence such as review the policy of cost sharing,there is need of free treatment to hypertensive patients because most of the patients are retired workers, elderly and unemployed hence can not afford buying antihpertensive drugs, health education campaign on the importance of adherence to antihypertensive drugs, by the media,posters, booklets and religious centers for example churches and mosques and training of health providers on how to counsel patients in constructive and non – jugemental manner with the aim of helping the patients to comply better with the treatment regimen. The researcher recommends other scholars do more researches on why people of low education levels are adherent to antihpertensive drugs and health workers attitude when assessing factors influencing adherence to antihpertensive drugs. | en_US |
