E-ISSN 2651-3455 (Online) | ISSN 2630-5593 (Print)
Role of Illness Perception and Medication Beliefs in Medication Adherence among Hypertensive Patients in South-South Nigeria [anatol j fm]
anatol j fm. 2023; 6(1): 31-36 | DOI: 10.5505/anatoljfm.2021.02486

Role of Illness Perception and Medication Beliefs in Medication Adherence among Hypertensive Patients in South-South Nigeria

Lillian Ngozi Ozumba, Paul Dienye, Geraldine Ndukwu
Department of Family Medicine, University of Portharcourt Teaching Hospital, Rivers State, Nigeria

INTRODUCTION: The study aimed to determine the influence of illness perception and medication beliefs on hypertension medication adherence.
METHODS: The study was a hospital-based, and cross-sectional study that lasted for 3 months, from March to May 2016. Those included in the study were hypertensive patients aged 18–65 years who had been on hyper-tensive medications for at least 6 months. Data were obtained using a semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire consisting of sociodemographic characteristics, the brief illness perception questionnaire (BIPQ), beliefs about medication (BMQ), and Morisky Medication Adherence Scale.
RESULTS: Out of 400 respondents, 115 (28.8%) had good adherence to antihypertensive medications, and 91 (22.8%) had controlled blood pressure. The median score of timeline of the BIPQ dimension was 6.0 (0.0–10.0) in the adherent group and 4.0 (0.0–10.0) in the non-adherent group (p=0.001). However, consequence, personal control, treatment control, identity, concern, coherence, and emotional representation were lower in the adherent group than non-adherent group (p=0.001, p=0.001, p=0.001, p=0.001, p=0.001, p=0.001, and p=0.001, respectively). The median score of the necessity of the BMQ dimension was 18.0 (11.0–22.0) in the adherent group and 13.0 (5.0–22.0) in the non-adherent group (p=0.001). On the other hand, concern, harm, and overuse were lower in the adherent group than in the non-adherent group (p=0.001, p=0.001, and p=0.001, respectively).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: This study showed that having good illness perception and medication beliefs was linked to adherence to treatment in hypertension patients.

Keywords: Beliefs, hypertension, perception, treatment adherence

Corresponding Author: Lillian Ngozi Ozumba, Nigeria
Manuscript Language: English
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