Illness Perceptions and Adherence to Medication Regimen among Hypertensive Patients Attending a County Referral Hospital in Kenya

Abstract

Background: Although various factors have been investigated across hypertensive patients to try to explain the factors that affect medication adherence, the role of illness representations among the Kenyan hypertensive population is still unclear. This study aimed at investigating the influence of illness representation on medication adherence among hypertensive patients attending a County Referral Hospital in Kenya. Methods: A Quantitative research design, utilizing a simple random sampling method was adapted. The Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ) was utilized. Bivariate analysis was conducted using Chi square test and the Mann Whitney U test while multivariate data analysis was conducted using Binary logistic regression analysis. Results: Data from 96 participants, 55% female and 58% being over the age of 65 years were analyzed. 33.3% of the respondents had a high adherence level. None of the socio-demographic variables were found to be statistically significant to medication adherence using Chi square test analysis. Stronger attitudes of personal control was significantly related to medication adherence p = 0.009 (OR = 0.271; CI = 0.102-0.0718), whereas weaker perceptions of emotional representation was found to be a predictor of adherence p = 0.004 (OR = 2.900; CI = 1.413-1.595). Conclusion: Health workers should formulate interventions to facilitate perceptions of personal control and reduce perceptions of emotional representations, in order to promote adherence as informed by the findings of this study.