Adherence to Antihypertensive Medication in a Specialist Led- Hypertension Clinic in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Purpose: Hypertension is the biggest single contributing risk factor to global morbidity and mortality burden. Despite worldwide improvement in diagnosis and treatment options for hypertension, poor adherence remains an impediment to improving patients#x2019; overall quality of life. This study sought to investigate adherence rates in hypertensive patients and the local factors that contribute to nonadherence. Methods: This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study conducted at the out-patient department of a hypertension specialist-led clinic in Kumasi-Ghana. The Morisky Medication Adherence Scale 8 was used to measure adherence to antihypertensive medications. Bivariate logistic regression analysis was done to measure the strength of the association between sociodemographic level, BP level, antihypertensive drug used and medication adherence score.