BLOOD PRESSURE CONTROL AND HEALTH INSURANCE ACCESS AMONG HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS IN A NIGERIAN CLINIC

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Background

Adequate blood pressure control limits the attendant sequel of uncontrolled hypertension. Medication non-adherence adversely affects blood pressure control, and, it has been largely linked to poverty. Therefore, it is pertinent to look at effect of access to health insurance which significantly address the financial burden of care in Nigeria, on treatment outcomes among patients with hypertension.

Objective: The study aimed to determine the relationship between blood pressure control and access to health insurance among patients with essential hypertension seen at the family medicine clinics of a Nigerian tertiary health facility.

Method: A hospital based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among patients with health insurance (335) and patients without health insurance (342) recruited by systematic random sampling. Data was collected using a pre-tested interviewer-administered questionnaire and analyzed with Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0.

Results: Good blood pressure control was recorded in 58.2% of respondents with health insurance compared to 45.3% among respondents without health insurance. Access to health insurance was significantly associated with blood pressure control. Other factors associated with blood pressure control were age group, marital status, ethnicity, educational level, occupation, average monthly income, alcohol use, clinic adherence, and medication adherence.

Conclusion: Blood pressure control among hypertensive patients with health insurance was better compared to those without health insurance. This implies health insurance can help improve blood pressure control by enhancing clinic and medication adherence among hypertensive patients.

Keywords: Blood Pressure Control, Clinic Adherence, Health Insurance, Hypertension, Medication Adherence, Nigeria