Improving Hypertension Outcomes Through Biweekly Text Message Interventions

Improving medication adherence and blood pressure control is challenging in the management of hypertension. Hypertension is a risk factor for severe health complications such as kidney failure, premature death, stroke, and heart disease. Even though effective hypertensive medications are available, patients have a challenging time adhering to taking the medication as instructed. There are several reasons patients do not adhere to taking their medication such as lack of understanding, forgetfulness, negative beliefs, inadequate communication, complex dosing regimen, cost, and access to healthcare. Ensuring patients take their blood pressure medication decreases the risk of uncontrolled hypertension complications. The plan to improve hypertension outcomes is to get the patient to become compliant with taking their medication. Implementing text messaging that goes out twice weekly reminding people to take their medication will improve blood pressure readings. Medication adherence will promote a healthier life. This doctoral project was conducted in two rural health communities that due to underserved or low socioeconomic background have sub-standard health. The focus was on male and female patients 35 years of age and older with a diagnosis of uncontrolled hypertension. Medication adherence becomes challenging in some older patients. The prevalence of mobile phones among the older generation increases the feasibility of using text messaging for health intervention. The doctoral project focused on the improvement of medication adherence by biweekly text messaging during the two-week study. Measures were based on self-reporting status and blood pressure readings. Statistical analysis showed significant improvement in blood pressure readings by improving medication adherence among the participants. There was a 14.34 mmHg in blood pressure readings reduction which suggests that the text messages had a significant effect on the management of hypertension.