Key result
Illness perception was not associated with antihypertensive medication adherence, with poor adherence in 86.9% of high-threat vs 66.7% of low-threat patients.
Why the study?
Medication non-adherence is an important barrier to blood-pressure control in sub-Saharan Africa, and research findings regarding the association between illness perceptions and medication adherence among hypertensive patients remain inconsistent.
Cross-Sectional (n=138)
No
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Does not support using illness perceptions to guide adherence interventions; leaves open the contribution of other factors to antihypertensive non-adherence.
Background: High blood pressure is a significant preventable risk factor associated with cardiovascular diseases, stroke, and chronic kidney disease. Medication non-adherence remains an important barrier to blood-pressure control, particularly in subSaharan Africa. Research findings regarding the association between illness perceptions and medication adherence remain inconsistent. Objective: To assess the association between illness perception and medication adherence among hypertensive patients attending the General Outpatient Clinic of Federal Medical Centre Gusau. Methods: This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study which included 138 hypertensive patients who have been taken medications for blood pressure control for a minimum of 3 months. Participants were selected by systematic random sampling. The Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire assessed participants' illness perceptions, and the 8-items Morisky Medication Adherence Scale was used to assess the medication adherence of the respondents. The relationship between Perception of illness and antihypertensive medication adherence was assessed using Pearson’s chi-square test.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Zaharadeen et al. (2026) conducted a cross-sectional in Hypertension (n=138). High perceived illness threat (Brief IPQ score 50-80) vs. Moderate (42-49) and low (0-41) perceived illness threat was evaluated on Poor antihypertensive medication adherence (8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale score 0-5) (χ² = 2.88, p=0.578). Illness perception was not associated with antihypertensive medication adherence, with poor adherence in 86.9% of high-threat vs 66.7% of low-threat patients.
Synapse has enriched 10 related papers. Consider them for comparative context: