A QUALITATIVE STUDY TO ASSESS THE FACTORS LEADING TO MEDICATION NON ADHERENCE AMONG HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS

Introduction: Medication adherence is an important path in controlling high blood pressure and curbing further complications. Uncontrolled blood pressure is mainly caused by medications non-adherence to antihypertensives. Hypertensive person with medication non adherence may leads to many complications like heart failure, ischemic heart disease, chronic kidney disease, recurrent stroke, dementia, aneurysm, blindness and high coronary disease risk. The present study was conducted to gain deeper understanding about the factors leading to medication nonadherence among hypertensive patients with medication non adherence attending OPD and admitted in IPD of Railway Hospital Rana Pratap Nagar Udaipur.

Methodology: Phenomenological Qualitative design was used, 19 participants (11 men and 8 women) were selected using purposive sampling technique as per the pre determined inclusion criteria. Semi structured questionnaires and in depth interview schedule was used for data collection. Voice recording of the conversation was done; the transcript was then thematically analyzed using Open Code 4.02 software.

Result: Coding and categorization of the transcript was done using the software, based on that, 6 major themes were emerged contributing to medication non adherence. The findings of the study revealed certain themes like individual factors, treatment related factors, health care system related factors, disease related factors, socio cultural factors and cognitive and psychological factors

Conclusion: Strict medication adherence is priority based intervention in prevention of complications among patients with hypertension. It can helps in saving both economical and man-power related resources.