Intervention of the family health team on treatment adhesion by hypertension patients

Abstract

Current descriptive study with a quantitative approach comprises an analysis of Family Health Teams' activities on hypertensive users' treatment adherence, involving 70 professionals from a Family Health Team in Fortaleza CE Brazil. Data were collected through a questionnaire. Educational activities developed for hypertensive users' treatment adherence took the form of individual and group orientations during home visits, clinical visits, lectures, group meetings and conversation groups. The professionals' experience with regard to hypertensive persons' adherence ranged between good, through fair and difficult, and was related to aspects inherent to users, families, professionals and managers. Educative actions and distribution of drugs were important and necessary. Results show that adherence is a big challenge for health professionals, and that the team's intervention should be reconsidered according to the principles of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) and on adherence determining factors.