Non-Adherence to Antihypertensive Treatment Regimens Among Hypertensive Clients in Selected Hospitals in Yenagoa Metropolis, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Background: Hypertension is still a huge health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa, and poor medication adherence keeps treatment outcomes disappointing. In Bayelsa State, we really do not know much about how bad this problem is or what is driving it. So, this study focused on figuring out how common non-adherence is among people with hypertension at selected hospitals in Yenagoa, and what is causing it. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional survey was used. Altogether, we recruited 166 hypertensive outpatients from Federal Medical Centre (FMC) and Diete-Koki Memorial Hospital in Yenagoa between June and August 2019, choosing them through proportionate stratified random sampling. Data came from structured, interviewer-administered questionnaires, vetted by experts, with a reliability score of r = 0.84. Responses were analyzed using basic statistics like frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations using a mean cut-off of 2.5. Results: Most respondents were men (58.4%), aged 60 and above (33.7%), married (58.4%), and had at least a secondary school certificate (47%). Around 65% stuck to their medication well, but a worrying number did not. All 11 items checking adherence behaviour scored above the 2.5 mean cut-off, revealing a real problem with non-adherence. The main reasons were: not being able to afford medications (32%), anxiety over taking drugs for life (30.1%), disbelief that health depends on medications (30.3%), forgetfulness (21.1%), and dealing with multiple prescriptions (19%). Conclusion: Even though adherence was decent overall, plenty of avoidable barriers still stop people from following their treatment properly. There is an urgent need for focused, nurse-led patient education, better financial support, and simpler treatment plans to close the adherence gap in Yenagoa.