Malih Radhi M, Zair Balat K. Health Literacy and Its Association With Medication Adherence in Patients With Hypertension: A Mediating Role of Social Support. Iranian Rehabilitation Journal 2024; 22 (1) :117-128
URL:
http://irj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-2146-en.html
1- Department of Community Health, College of Health and Medical Technologies/Kufa, Al-Furat Al-Awsat Technical University, Babylon, Iraq.
2- Department of Community Health Nursing, College of Nursing, University of ThiQar, Thi-Qar, Iraq.
Abstract: (1983 Views)
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the predictive relationship between medication adherence in light of health literacy and social support, in addition to differences in medication adherence according to different demographic characteristics.
Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 450 hypertensive patients visiting primary care facilities in Babil Governorate were included. A questionnaire including sociodemographic information, the Morisk medication adherence scale, the social support rating scale, and the health literacy management scale were used in this study. Data were collected and SPSS software, version 20 was used for analysis after ensuring the validity and reliability of the study tools.
Results: The findings showed that social support (74.9%) and treatment adherence (75.6%) were at a low level, whereas health literacy (67.8%) was at a high level. Health literacy (β=-0.708; P=0.001) and social support (β=0.220; P=0.001) were predictive factors for medication adherence. Based on gender, marital status, educational attainment, monthly income, and the length of hypertension, the results showed statistically significant differences in the level of medication adherence (P=0.001).
Discussion: Enhancing medication adherence in hypertensive patients is essential. The level of health literacy and social support directly and indirectly affect treatment adherence. Therefore, these aspects should be considered as effective interventions to improve medication adherence in this group of individuals suffering from chronic diseases.
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• Health literacy and social support are important factors that affect medicine adherence. While social support seems to increase medication adherence rates, health literacy appears to have the opposite impact, lowering such adherence.
• In order to better manage hypertension and increase drug adherence rates among these patients, improvements in health literacy and social support for patients are necessary.
Plain Language Summary
Hypertensive patients frequently disregard instructions on how to take their prescribed drugs. In addition, these patients struggle with a lack of social support and have significant health literacy issues. While both social support and health literacy are crucial for improving treatment compliance, patient medication compliance is positively impacted by social support and it is negatively impacted by health literacy. Furthermore, there are variations in adherence levels between genders, married and single individuals, university graduates and non-graduates, and those with higher monthly incomes. Additionally, the length of hypertension positively affects patients’ compliance
Article type:
Original Research Articles |
Subject:
Nursing Received: 2023/12/2 | Accepted: 2023/12/18 | Published: 2024/03/1
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