Family support and medication adherence among residents with hypertension in informal settlements of Nairobi, Kenya: a mixed-method study

Suboptimal medication adherence is a major barrier to hypertension control in Kenya, especially among informal urban settlement areas (sometimes referred to as “slums”). The few studies that have specifically explored medication adherence among this population have received discordant results, implying that additional factors which influence medication adherence merit further investigation. This study explores the relationship between family support and medication adherence among people with hypertension in informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya. We conducted a quantitative survey followed up by semi-structured qualitative interviews. The sampling frame comprised two health facilities in informal settlement areas of the Korogocho neighborhood and participants were recruited via convenience sampling. We performed multiple logistic regressions for quantitative data and thematic analysis for qualitative data. A total of 93 people participated in the survey (mean age: 57 ± 14.7, 66% female). Most participants reported high family support (82%, n = 76) and suboptimal medication adherence (43% by the Morisky Scale; 76% by the Hill-Bone Scale), with no significant associations between family support and medication adherence. During interviews, many participants reported they lacked health knowledge and education. We suggest that the lack of health knowledge among this population may have contributed to a failure for family support to meaningfully translate into improvements in medication adherence. Our results underscore the need for further research to improve hypertension control among this uniquely disadvantaged population, especially with respect to the possible mediating influence of health education on family support and medication adherence.