Adherence to Antihypertensive Treatment and Factors Associated With Adherence amongst Hypertensive Patients on Follow – Up at the Mankon Sub – Divisional Health Center, Ntingkang Bamenda Cameroon

Abstract

Hypertension is an overwhelming global challenge causing 7.1 million premature deaths each year worldwide and accounts for 13% of all deaths globally. Poor adherence to antihypertensive therapy is one of the biggest obstacles in the therapeutic control of high blood pressure. This study therefore evaluated the adherence to antihypertensive treatment and factors associated with adherence. This cross – sectional hospital based study involved 100 randomly selected hypertensive patients on follow up at the Mankon sub – divisional health center, Ntingkang. Morisky Medication Adherence scale was used to assess the adherence and McDonald’s composite percent of scores was used to classify the level of knowledge and level of adherence respectively. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS version 17.0 and the results showed that most of the participants were married (60.0%) and were females (65%) within the age range of 51 – 60 years (40%). Also, majority of the participants know the signs and symptoms of hypertension (95%) as well as the most common complication of hypertension (100%). The level of adherence was found to be high (80.0%) with smoking (85%) and alcohol intake (55%) identified as the factors associated with adherence. In conclusion, moderate level of knowledge (77.5%) was found as opposed to a high level of adherence (80.0%) and no significant relationship was found between level of knowledge and level of adherence.