The relationship between illness perception and quality of life among Chinese rural elderly patients with hypertension: the mediating role of medication experience

Our findings revealed that illness perception not only directly influenced quality of life among rural elderly hypertensive patients but also indirectly via medication experience. Illness perception is a negative factor affecting the quality of life of rural elderly patients with hypertension, while medication experience is a protective factor. Therefore, medical institutions should strengthen health education to improve their illness perception of hypertension. The pharmaceutical service ability of rural medical institutions should be improved to improve the medication experience of hypertensive patients.