1
|
Giakoumidakis K, Patelarou E, Brokalaki H, Bastaki M, Fotos NV, Ifantopoulou P, Christodoulakis A, Chatziefstratiou AA, Patelarou A. Patient Knowledge, Medication Adherence, and Influencing Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study among Hypertensive Patients in Greece. Healthcare (Basel) 2024; 12:916. [PMID: 38727473 PMCID: PMC11083400 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12090916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the knowledge of patients with hypertension about their condition, adherence to antihypertensive medication, and the factors influencing it. A cross-sectional study was conducted in two cardiology outpatient clinics of two tertiary hospitals, in Greece. The study included 188 patients diagnosed with hypertension. The patients' knowledge about their disease and adherence to medication were assessed by using the HK-LS and A-14 scales, respectively. Patients had sufficient knowledge levels about their disease, but significantly low levels of adherence to medication. Patients with higher knowledge levels were more adherent to medications [r(188) = 0.885, p < 0.001]. By using multivariate analysis, higher age (p = 0.018), residence in a more populous area (p = 0.041), more years with the disease (p = 0.012), and a lower number of medications (p = 0.03) were associated with higher levels of knowledge. Conversely, younger age (p = 0.036), lower educational levels (p = 0.048), fewer years with the disease (p = 0.001), and a higher number of medications (p = 0.003) were associated with lower adherence to medication. The Greek patients' hypertension knowledge was sufficient; however, adherence to medication was significantly low. Healthcare managers could utilize our findings to design targeted interventions for improving adherence to medication for these patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Giakoumidakis
- Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Hellenic Mediterranean University, 71410 Heraklion, Greece; (E.P.); (M.B.); (A.C.); (A.P.)
| | - Evridiki Patelarou
- Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Hellenic Mediterranean University, 71410 Heraklion, Greece; (E.P.); (M.B.); (A.C.); (A.P.)
| | - Hero Brokalaki
- Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (H.B.); (N.V.F.); (A.A.C.)
| | - Maria Bastaki
- Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Hellenic Mediterranean University, 71410 Heraklion, Greece; (E.P.); (M.B.); (A.C.); (A.P.)
| | - Nikolaos V. Fotos
- Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (H.B.); (N.V.F.); (A.A.C.)
| | | | - Antonios Christodoulakis
- Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Hellenic Mediterranean University, 71410 Heraklion, Greece; (E.P.); (M.B.); (A.C.); (A.P.)
| | - Anastasia A. Chatziefstratiou
- Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (H.B.); (N.V.F.); (A.A.C.)
| | - Athina Patelarou
- Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Hellenic Mediterranean University, 71410 Heraklion, Greece; (E.P.); (M.B.); (A.C.); (A.P.)
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Rivera-Picón C, Benavente-Cuesta MH, Quevedo-Aguado MP, Sánchez-González JL, Rodríguez-Muñoz PM. Factors Associated with Adherence to Treatment in Patients with HIV and Diabetes Mellitus. J Pers Med 2023; 13:269. [PMID: 36836503 PMCID: PMC9967318 DOI: 10.3390/jpm13020269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
We aim to identify the factors that influence the therapeutic adherence of subjects with chronic disease. The design followed in this work was empirical, not experimental, and cross-sectional with a correlational objective. The sample consisted of a total of 400 subjects (199 patients with HIV and 201 patients with diabetes mellitus). The instruments applied for data collection were a sociodemographic data questionnaire, the 4-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-4) and the Coping Strategies Questionnaire. In the group of subjects with HIV, that the use of emotional coping strategies was related to lower adherence to treatment. On the other hand, in the group of subjects with diabetes mellitus, the variable related to compliance with treatment was the duration of illness. Therefore, the predictive factors of adherence to treatment were different in each chronic pathology. In the group of subjects with diabetes mellitus, this variable was related to the duration of the disease. In the group of subjects with HIV, the type of coping strategy used predicted adherence to treatment. As a result of these results, it is possible to develop health programmes to promote, from nursing consultations to adherence to treatment of patients with HIV and diabetes mellitus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Rivera-Picón
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Nursing, Pontifical University of Salamanca, 37002 Salamanca, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Pedro Manuel Rodríguez-Muñoz
- Faculty of Nursing and Physiotherapy, University of Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain
- Department of Nursing, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córboda, 14005 Córdoba, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Need for a Paradigm Shift in the Treatment of Ischemic Stroke: The Blood-Brain Barrier. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23169486. [PMID: 36012745 PMCID: PMC9409167 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity is essential to maintaining brain health. Aging-related alterations could lead to chronic progressive leakiness of the BBB, which is directly correlated with cerebrovascular diseases. Indeed, the BBB breakdown during acute ischemic stroke is critical. It remains unclear, however, whether BBB dysfunction is one of the first events that leads to brain disease or a down-stream consequence. This review will focus on the BBB dysfunction associated with cerebrovascular disease. An added difficulty is its association with the deleterious or reparative effect, which depends on the stroke phase. We will first outline the BBB structure and function. Then, we will focus on the spatiotemporal chronic, slow, and progressive BBB alteration related to ischemic stroke. Finally, we will propose a new perspective on preventive therapeutic strategies associated with brain aging based on targeting specific components of the BBB. Understanding BBB age-evolutions will be beneficial for new drug development and the identification of the best performance window times. This could have a direct impact on clinical translation and personalised medicine.
Collapse
|