Men Among Those Less Likely to Stick to Hypertension Medication

A study on adherence to taking medication in hypertensive patients, has found that men are among those less likely to stick to their medication regimen.

Low adherence was also found among unmarried persons, the unemployed, smokers and persons below the age of 60.

The award-winning study titled: ‘Influence of Health Systems on Hypertensive Patients’ Self-Reported Medication Adherence in Jamaica and Columbia’ was conducted by Selena Lewis, who received the award for Best Overall Presentation at the 2023 National Health Research Conference.

Medication adherence requires that the prescription be obtained promptly and the drug be taken as prescribed in terms of dose, dosing interval, duration of treatment, and any additional special instructions.

Miss Lewis’ study highlighted some of the critical factors influencing medication adherence among hypertensive patients in Jamaica, which is grappling with the significant burden of hypertension-related morbidity and mortality.

Hypertension or high blood pressure remains a leading cause of deaths worldwide, claiming approximately 11 million lives in 2019 alone, with a disproportionate impact on low and middle-income countries.

Speaking with JIS News about the findings of the study, Miss Lewis noted that despite the availability of effective medications to control high blood pressure, poor adherence poses a formidable challenge to managing the silent killer and preventing associated complications.

“Poor adherence is a significant barrier to controlling blood pressure and preventing early deaths from hypertension due to heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure,” she noted.

The research delves into the multifaceted nature of medication adherence, identifying various sociodemographic factors that influence compliance such as age, marital status and education level.

One important highlight of the study is the pivotal role played by health systems in shaping patient’s adherence behaviours, with factors such as access to care, wait times and communication with healthcare providers emerging as significant determinants.

Miss Lewis pointed out that not having to pay for medications and medication subsidies, resulting in lower costs, have been shown to improve medication adherence.

The research team noted that continued strengthening of health systems to improve medication is welcome, and endorsed several of the measures that have been implemented by the Ministry of Health and Wellness.

These include electronic health records systems, medication subsidies from the National Health Fund (NHF), and the Quick Prescript application (app), which allows patients to submit their prescription by phone to reduce pharmacy wait times.

The study was conducted in health centres across the island in 2021.

The 288 patients in Jamaica, who participated in the research, were identified from clinic attendees on hypertension treatment days in randomly selected primary healthcare facilities.