Assessment of Medication Adherence and Its Associated Factors Among Hypertensive Patients Using the MMAS-8 Scale at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Peshawar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Background: Hypertension is a major public health problem and a leading risk factor for cardiovascular
morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite the availability of effective antihypertensive medications, poor adherence to treatment remains a significant barrier to optimal blood pressure control. This study aimed to assess the level of medication adherence and its associated factors among hypertensive patients attending a tertiary care hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, from September to November 2025. Data were collected between 12 October and 2 November 2025
from adult hypertensive patients admitted to Medical A Ward, Medical B Ward, and the Cardiology Ward. Medication adherence was assessed using the 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8). Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 20. Associations between medication adherence and demographic or clinical variables were evaluated using chi-square tests and Pearson’s correlation coefficient.
Results: A total of 150 hypertensive patients were included in the study. The majority of participants demonstrated low to moderate adherence to antihypertensive medications. No statistically significant associations were found between medication adherence and age, gender, educational status, duration of hypertension, or presence of other chronic conditions (p > 0.05). Internal consistency of the MMAS-8 in this population was low.
Conclusion: Medication adherence among hypertensive patients in this tertiary care setting was suboptimal. No clear demographic or clinical predictors of adherence were identified. Multifaceted
interventions focusing on behavioral and healthcare system factors are required to improve adherence and long-term hypertension outcomes.
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