A prospective study to assess the medication adherence pattern among hypertensives and to evaluate the use of cellular phone text messaging as a tool to improve adherence to medications in a tertiary health-care center

AIM: The aim of the study was to assess improvement in adherence to medications using mobile phone text messaging (short message services [SMSs] and social media). OBJECTIVES: The objective was to assess the pattern of adherence to medication in hypertensives and to assess the improvement in adherence pattern to antihypertensive medications using mobile phone text messaging as a tool. METHODOLOGY: After obtaining informed consent, the study participants' blood pressure was recorded, and their adherence to medications was graded as high, medium, and low using the Medication Adherence Questionnaire. Then, messages in the form of either SMSs or WhatsApp were sent regularly (once every 3 days) reminding them of the importance of regular medicine intake. After 2 months of follow-up, again blood pressure was recorded and adherence graded. Data were tabulated and statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Majority of study participants in who were initially placed in medium to low grading of adherence (65.2%) moved toward high adherence (88.4%) at follow-up after receiving messages for 2 months. A statistically significant decrease was noted in systolic (8.3 mmHg,P < 0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (2.4 mmHg,P < 0.002) at the end of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Nonadherence to medication is a global phenomenon to be tackled at the earliest. Our study clearly brings out the importance of improving adherence by regular reminders as messages. Hence, there is a wide scope to avail means to improve the adherence pattern and maximize the health benefits.