Background
This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of and determine the factors associated with antihypertensive medication (A-HTNM) non-adherence among hypertension care seekers attending primary health clinics in the Gaza Strip.
Methods
A cross-sectional survey was conducted as the recruitment phase of a clustered randomized controlled trial including 538 participants. The participants were randomly selected from 10 primary health care centers by two-stage cluster random sampling. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data through face-to-face interview. The questionnaire was developed based on the World Health Organization determinants for medication non-adherence and the Health Belief Model. The main outcomes of this study were the prevalences of A-HTNM non-adherence and its associated factors. Adherence status was assessed using the eight-item Morisky Self-Report Medication Adherence Scale. Data were analyzed by STATA ver. 14.0 (Stata Corp., College Station, TX, USA) using a standard complex survey, accounting for unresponsiveness and the clustering sampling approach.
Results
The overall prevalence of A-HTNM non-adherence was 65.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 59.2–71.8). Among all studied predictors, only self-efficacy of participants (odds ratio [OR], 3.8; 95% CI, 1.79–2.84) and social support (OR, 2.26; 95% CI, 2.82–5.11) remained significantly associated with A-HTNM non-adherence after adjusting for age, education level, number and frequency of A-HTNM doses per day, and comorbidities.
Conclusion
The high prevalence of non-adherence highlights the need for serious intervention to enhance the adherence rate among hypertension patients. The associated factors can be considered when developing appropriate interventions.

Citations

• Adherence to hypertension management at a rural hospital in Limpopo: A cross-sectional study
  Murendeni F. Sikhau, Mbuyisa J. Makhubu, Gert J.O. Marincowitz, Clara Marincowitz
  South African Family Practice.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef
• ADHERENCE TO ANTIHYPERTENSIVE MEDICATION AND ITS DETERMINANTS IN A PRIMARY CARE SETTING OF KALABURAGI DISTRICT
  GEETHANJALI P, POONAM P SHINGADE, AMRUTA SWATI I, PRASHANT KUMAR
  Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research.2024; : 15.     CrossRef
• Prevalence of hypertension and its associated factors among healthcare workers in the Gaza Strip, Palestine: a cross-sectional study
  Joma Younis, Lina Wang, Kejing Zhang, Majed Jebril, Hong Jiang, Yahui Fan, Zhaofang Li, Mei Ma, Le Ma, Zhaozhao Hui, Mao Ma, Wei Zhang
  BMJ Open.2024; 14(12): e076577.     CrossRef
• Blood Pressure Control and Its Determinants among Patients with Non-Dialysis Chronic Kidney Disease in Myanmar
  Ei Su Mon, Aurawamon Sriyuktasuth, Warunee Phligbua
  Nurse Media Journal of Nursing.2022; 12(1): 1.     CrossRef
• Medication Adherence and Effective Management of Hypertension
  Seung-Won Oh
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2021; 42(2): 89.     CrossRef