The effect of health literacy in explaining medication adherence among patients with hypertension: A cross-sectional study of Syrian refugees in Jordan

Abstract

Background: Poor medication adherence is a concern among patients with hypertension. However, few studies have assessed the effect of health literacy on medication adherence among refugee patients. Aim: The aim was to examine the effect of health literacy and associated factors in explaining medication adherence among Syrian refugee patients with hypertension. Methods: A cross-sectional study was used, recruiting 150 Syrian refugees with hypertension in February 2020. The Hill-Bone scale and the Health Literacy Questionnaire were used to collect data, which were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Participants had low levels of medication adherence and had low mean scores in eight of nine subscales of the health literacy scale, except in the appraisal of health information subscale. Factors including patient's age, marital status, the number of medications and co-morbid diseases were significantly associated with medication adherence. Age, understanding written health information and ability to engage with healthcare providers were predictive of medication adherence. Conclusion: To increase medication adherence among refugee patients with hypertension, nurses need to improve patients' health literacy and understanding of health information about their disease.