Factors related to drug adherence in hypertensive patients in the Iranian population

Aims: Adherence to treatment is one of the most important concepts in the field of physical diseases, including hypertension. Many patients do not adhere to the treatment and ignore the doctor's instructions, which can cause many economic, physical and cultural problems for the individual, family and society. Many factors, including self-efficacy, self-regulation, and social support, are associated with adherence to treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors related to drug adherence using social cognitive theory in hypertensive patients in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad provinces. Materials and Methods: A descriptive-analytical study was performed on 112 patients (male and female) with hypertension in Yasuj in 2016. Data collection tools included the Demographic Information Questionnaire, the Maurice Therapy Adherence Questionnaire (MMAS), and the Bandura Social Theoretical Constructs Questionnaire (including self-efficacy, social support, and self-regulatory constructs). The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software version 22. Results: The rate of treatment adherence was 63.9% among patients (66.66% for men and 61.2% for women). There was a statistically significant relationship between age, education and adherence to treatment (p <0.0001). Family social support and self-regulatory structures predicted a total of 22% of the variance in treatment adherence.  Conclusion: The results of this study showed that adherence to treatment in hypertensive patients referred to medical centers in Yasuj is moderate. Due to the correlation between the structures of social cognitive theory and adherence to treatment, the structures of this theory can be used in adherence to treatment in patients with hypertension