Perceived family support and factors influencing medication adherence among hypertensive patients attending a Nigerian tertiary hospital

Background and Aim: Drug adherence determines a patient's quality of life and delays the development of complications. The study assessed perceived family support and other factors that determine medication adherence among hypertensive patients in a tertiary hospital. Materials and Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study. Consenting adult patients on antihypertensive attending the Medical Outpatient Clinic of Federal Medical Centre Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria. Results: Four hundred and twenty patients were studied. The mean age of the patients was 60.6 ± 11.7 years (range 21-85 years). There were 206 (49%) males and 214 (51%) females. Most respondents were Yoruba (86.2%), married (76.7%), and had primary education (27.6%). Most (61%) were adherent to antihypertensive therapy. Common reasons for poor adherence include belief of cure (43%), high cost of treatment (33%), and the experiencing of side effects (27%). Patients with good family support had better adherence compared to those with poor family support (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Poor family support and other factors were identified as causes of poor adherence among these hypertensive patients. Strategies targeting these factors will improve drug adherence, thereby preventing poor treatment outcomes among these patients.