Non-Adherence Related Factors to Antihypertensive Medications Among Hypertensive Patients on Follow up at Nedjo General Hospital in West Ethiopia

Hypertension is an overwhelming global challenge. Increasing awareness and diagnosis of hypertension, and improving control of blood pressure with appropriate treatment are considered critical public health initiatives to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

To assess non-adherence-related factors to antihypertensive medications among hypertensive patients on follow up at Nedjo General Hospital.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among hypertensive patients on follow up at Nedjo General Hospital from March 15 to May 5, 2015. A total of 172 hypertensive patients who were available during study period were included in the study. To identify the independent non-adherence-related factors, backward logistic regression analysis was used.

Only 54 (31.4%) of the study participants were adherent to their treatment. On multivariable logistic analysis non-adherence was more likely to occur among those with age of >55 years (Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.10, 95% CI = 0.01-0.85, p=0.035), illiteracy (AOR = 6.76, 95% CI = 1.01-45.08, p=0.049), income status of <500 Ethiopian birr (AOR = 18.51, 95% CI = 1.95-176.06, p=0.011), duration of treatments of >5 years (AOR = 5.41, 95% CI = 1.08-27.22, p=0.041), physical inactivity (AOR = 34.51, 95% CI = 4.66-255.89, p=0.001) and knowledge deficit about hypertension and its treatment (AOR = 7.67, 95% CI = 2.48-23.73, p<0.001).

A finding of this study revealed that an adherence status of study participants was low. Thus, greater effort is needed to improve patient adherence to antihypertensive medications.