MEDICINE COMPLIANCE AND BARRIERS TOWARDS THE HYPERTENSION MANAGEMENT IN PAKISTAN

Abstract

Background: Hypertension poses a significant public health challenge in Pakistan, contributing substantially to morbidity and mortality. Medication compliance in hypertension management is a critical concern, often hindered by factors such as forgetfulness, financial constraints, and limited awareness. Although this issue is widely documented, there is a lack of data on medication compliance and barriers in the remote areas of Southern Sindh, where healthcare access and awareness are often limited.

Objective: To explore medication compliance and identify barriers to hypertension management in Southern Sindh, Pakistan.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 260 hypertensive patients attending the outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital in Thatta, a district in Southern Sindh. Participants were selected using simple random sampling. Inclusion criteria included patients aged 20 years and above with a confirmed diagnosis of hypertension. Data were collected using a validated questionnaire following informed consent. Ethical approval was obtained from the relevant review board. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 25, with descriptive statistics used to summarize findings.

Results: The study found that 63.8% of participants cited forgetfulness as the primary barrier to medication adherence. Financial constraints affected 16.9%, while 8.1% reported medication side effects as a barrier. Adherence levels varied, with 30.8% reporting no difficulty, 17.7% finding adherence slightly difficult, and 20.4% moderately difficult. A further 19.2% and 11.9% found adherence very difficult and extremely difficult, respectively. Demographically, 63.1% were male, and 43.8% had completed matriculation education.

Conclusion: Medication compliance in hypertension management remains a significant challenge in Southern Sindh, primarily due to forgetfulness and financial barriers. Addressing these issues through improved patient education, affordable medication access, and enhanced healthcare support systems is vital for better hypertension management in this underserved region.