LIFESTYLE AND ADHERENCE TO ANTI-HYPERTENSIVE THERAPY IN SOUTHERN SENATORIAL DISTRICT OF CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Understanding patient’s adherence to their antihypertensive therapy and the factors associated with it is critical to controlling hypertension and its’ negative effects on patients. Studies have shown that there is a relationship between certain lifestyle of patients and adherence to antihypertensive therapy. The goal of this study was to determine the relationship between patients’ lifestyle and adherence to antihypertensive therapy in the Southern Senatorial District of Cross River State. Specifically, the study sought to establish the relationship between smoking, alcohol taking and adherence to antihypertensive therapy. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was adopted for the study. Structured questionnaire was administered to five hundred (500) patients. Four hundred and twenty-one (421) questionnaires were properly filled and returned. Data obtained from the study was analyzed using SPSS version 21. Results show the proportion of the patients that had moderate to an optimal level of adherence were higher 148 (38.5per cent) among the non-smokers compared to 6 (16.2 percent) among the smokers. There was a significant association between smoking and adherence to antihypertensive medication (P < 0.05). Also, higher proportions of those who do not take alcohol 121 (49.2 percent) had moderate to optimum level of adherence compared to the proportion 33 (18.9 percent) who had moderate to optimum adherence among those who take alcohol. The differences in levels of adherence to antihypertensive medication between those that take alcohol and those that do not take were statistically significant (P < 0.05). It was recommended that healthcare providers should be trained to understand and appreciate the influence of the lifestyle variables like smoking and alcohol taking on patients’ adherence to their antihypertensive medications. Also, both government and healthcare providers should double their efforts in educating the populace on the negative impact of lifestyle like smoking and alcohol taking in hypertension control.

(Word count: 297)

(Keywords: lifestyle, adherence, antihypertensive therapy, smoking, alcohol-taking)