Factors Associated with Medication Adherence Among Patients with Hypertension Attending Tertiary Care Hospitals in Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study
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Abstract
Background: Hypertension is a leading modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and adherence to antihypertensive medication is central to blood pressure control. Evidence from Pakistani tertiary care settings suggests that a substantial proportion of hypertensive patients are non-adherent, with education, income, and disease duration frequently implicated as determinants (Mahmood et al., 2020; Noreen et al., 2023).
Objective: To determine the level of medication adherence and its associated sociodemographic and clinical factors — with particular attention to education, income, and duration of disease — among adult patients with hypertension attending tertiary care hospitals in Pakistan.
Methods: A cross-sectional study will be conducted among 250–350 adult patients with a confirmed diagnosis of essential hypertension attending outpatient tertiary care clinics. Medication adherence will be assessed using the validated Urdu/English 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8). Associations between adherence and sociodemographic/clinical variables will be examined using the chi-square test, and independent predictors will be identified using binary logistic regression.
Results: In the template dataset used to demonstrate reporting format, low adherence, education level, monthly household income, and duration of hypertension were the variables of primary interest for chi-square and logistic regression analysis.
Conclusion: Medication adherence among hypertensive patients in Pakistani tertiary care settings is expected to remain suboptimal and to vary meaningfully by education, income, and disease duration, consistent with prior Pakistani studies. Targeted, literacy-sensitive and affordability-focused interventions are likely to be needed to improve adherence and blood pressure control.
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