Issues Surrounding Daily Self Measurement of Blood Pressure and its Influence on Compliance Behaviors of Hypertensive Patients

Abstract

High blood pressure is a chronic disorder and a major risk factor for stroke, cardiovascular, and renal disease. The prevalence of noncompliance to the prescribed treatment regimen remains an obstacle to the management of hypertension. Achieving long term blood pressure control requires that individuals enter treatment and remain in treatment and adhere to pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies. Recent recommendations suggest that self measurement of blood pressure may assist the client to remain on their treatment regimen and enhance compliance to treatment.

The purpose of this research project was to examine the issues related to daily self measurement of blood pressure. The second purpose of this study was to describe the relationship between self measurement of blood pressure with compliance to daily monitoring and medication.

A descriptive design was used to answer the following questions:

1. Will subjects perform daily home self blood pressure monitoring?

2. What are the issues surrounding daily home self blood pressure monitoring?

3. What is the relationship between daily home self blood pressure monitoring and taking prescribed anti-hypertensive medication?

A nonprobability convenience sample consisting of (7) adult women and (3) adult men were selected. The data were collected at the office of a family practice physician in Brevard County, Florida.

The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to examine demographics trends and nonparametric statistics. Pearson's r correlations were used to examine the relationship between self measurement of blood pressure and compliance to medication therapy.

Results indicated that subjects can easily be taught home self blood pressure. monitoring and will perform daily blood pressure monitoring. However, data for this sample indicated that daily blood pressure monitoring did not influence compliance to taking prescribed medication. Some of the issues surrounding daily self measurement of blood pressure are: difficulty applying the cuff, difficulty remembering daily monitoring, and ease of the equipment.

Maximum use of strategies to enhance compliance must be made to improve patient outcomes by decreasing morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease and stroke. Further research is needed to assess the role of self-measurement of blood pressure in the diagnosis, management and evaluation of high blood pressure.

Notes

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Graduation Date

1998

Semester

Fall

Advisor

Sole, Mary Lou

Degree

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Health and Public Affairs

Department

Nursing

Format

Print

Pages

87 p.

Language

English

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

Identifier

DP0022659

Subjects

Dissertations, Academic -- Health and Public Affairs; Health and Public Affairs -- Dissertations, Academic

Accessibility Status

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