Association Between Illness Perception and Adherence to Treatment in Slovak Patients With Hypertension

Abstract

BackgroundLack of adherence to treatment in patients with arterial hypertension leads to poor blood pressure control, increased morbidity and mortality, and increased costs to health and social care. Regular assessment of treatment adherence as well as factors influencing it is important to improve patient adherence and consequently increase treatment efficacy. Personal beliefs, particularly illness representations, are significant factors that influence adherence.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to assess the associations between adherence to treatment, illness perception, and selected sociodemographic and clinical characteristics in patients with arterial hypertension.MethodsIn this cross-sectional observational study, 235 patients with arterial hypertension completed the Hill-Bone Compliance to High Blood Pressure Therapy Scale and the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire. Associations between variables were assessed by Spearman ρ and multiple linear regression analysis.ResultsYounger age, male gender, overall number of drugs used, and poorer beliefs related to the timeline, treatment control, and understanding were associated with higher levels of nonadherence. The final regression model significantly (P ≤ .05) explained 19.4% of the variance in diet adherence, 5.0% in appointment keeping, and 17.8% in medication adherence.ConclusionComprehensive care aimed at regular evaluation of illness perceptions with an emphasis on increasing understanding of the disease and its treatment and reducing patient worries and negative emotions seems to be a relevant strategy for improving adherence to antihypertensive treatment in everyday clinical practice.

Association between illness perception and social alienation among maintenance hemodialysis patients: The mediating role of fear of progression

“…It can affect the patient's psychological state and determine his or her level of self-regulation [48]. Positive disease awareness is conducive to enhancing their awareness of preventive health care and promoting medical compliance behaviors, thereby improving patients' health and long-term quality of life [49][50][51][52]. However, the stronger the individual's negative disease perception, the more severe the symptoms they experience, which may aggravate the patient's negative emotions, reduce the confidence in coping with stressful events [19], reduce the individual's willingness to contact the surrounding things and the environment, and increase social alienation feel.…”

Factors Affecting the Level of Adherence to Hypertension Medications: A Cross-Sectional Study Using the Hill-Bone Questionnaire

“…Additionally, age emerges as a significant factor, with younger patients exhibiting higher adherence rates. 7 , 10 Beyond individual factors, healthcare-team-related issues, such as communication gaps and prolonged waiting times during appointments, have been linked to poorer medication adherence. 11 …”

“…Simplifying drug regimens has proven effective, 11 with studies revealing that patients using one or two antihypertensive pills demonstrate greater adherence compared to those with more complex regimens. 5 , 6 , 10 In Egypt, a study identified a positive correlation between simplified dosing schedules and improved adherence. 7 …”