Health Seeking Behavior and Medication Adherence of Hypertensive Patients in Erbil City: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Hypertension is a serious public health problem globally. Many patients don’t adhere to the treatment plan, even though treatment is freely available. Objective: To assess health-seeking behavior and drug adherence among a group of hypertensive patients. Methods: 400 hypertensive patients participated in a cross-sectional study done in Erbil, Kurdistan region, Iraq. Data were gathered through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire that encompassed demographic variables, health-seeking behavior, medication adherence, barriers, and social support. Results: Most of the patients were males (82%), urban residents (74.25%), and aged ≥70 years. Obesity (42.75%) and overweight (41%) were common. 44.5% had high socioeconomic status. Overall, 74.5% adhered to medication regimens. No significant associations were found between adherence and demographic or socioeconomic factors. 66.3% used combination medication and lifestyle changes. Uncontrolled BP was prevalent (72%), and 25.5% were non-adherent, though non-adherence was not significantly associated with uncontrolled BP. Social support was common but did not significantly impact adherence. Among respondents, 125(31.3%) reported facing barriers to BP control. The most reported barriers were personal negligence (63.2%) and medication costs (43.2%). There is no exclusive barrier that has a significant association separately. Conclusions: Despite treatment adherence, most participants had uncontrolled BP. Social support and demographic characteristics had no impact on adherence. Poor control was mainly due to the irregular pattern of blood pressure monitoring, the preference for home-based checks, expense, and personal neglect.