Adherence to Treatment and Level of Satisfaction Among Saudi Hypertensive Patients: A Multi-City Study

Background and objective Hypertension (HTN) is a common disease among patients who visit primary healthcare clinics. Uncontrolled HTN is associated with increased morbidity and mortality; therefore, awareness of its risk factors and adherence to treatment can lead to better control of HTN. In this study, we aimed to determine the level of adherence to treatment and satisfaction among Saudi hypertensive patients. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we used an interviewer-administered questionnaire among hypertensive patients aged 40 years or older who attended primary healthcare centers in the five main regions within Saudi Arabia. We excluded patients with mental disorders, dementia, or those unable to provide consent to participate. The estimated sample size was 384 patients as calculated by Raosoft® based on the AlNozha study (prevalence of HTN in Saudi Arabia is 26.1%). The questionnaire included questions about demographic data, awareness about HTN risk factors and complications, adherence to treatment, and patient satisfaction along with the information related to management from their physicians. Microsoft Excel was used for data entry, and SPSS Statistics version 23 (IBM, Armonk, NY) was used for statistical analysis. Results Of the 384 hypertensive patients recruited, most were in the age group of 40-49 years (36.5%), and the majority of them were female (75%). Most patients (n=305, 79.4%) reported good adherence to the management plan. Also, most of the patients (73.4%) were satisfied in terms of receiving simplified information and justification of the management plan from their physicians. Conclusions A good level of satisfaction was observed among patients of HTN in Saudi Arabia with respect to information, simplification, and justification of treatment plans provided by health professionals. This high satisfaction level accounts for the high adherence to the treatment plan.