Role Of Functional Social Support In Adherence To Hypertension Therapy: A Community-Based Study In Nepal

Author

• Shirish GurungFollow

Date of Award

January 2026

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Health (MPH)

Department

School of Public Health

First Advisor

Archana Shrestha

Abstract

Introduction: Despite evidence that adherence to hypertension therapy is associated with improved blood pressure control and health outcomes, adherence rates remain suboptimal. This study aims to examine the association between perceived functional social support and adherence to hypertension therapy in Nepal.

Methods: This study utilized cross-sectional baseline data collected from an ongoing community health worker-led hypertension prevention and control trial in Sindhupalchok District, Nepal. Adherence to hypertension therapy was measured using the Hill-Bone High Blood Pressure Therapy Compliance Scale, and perceived functional social support was measured using the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey. Modified Poisson regression with robust standard errors was used to estimate prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals.

Results: Among the 1,020 hypertensive individuals, 83.1% were adherent to hypertension therapy, with the highest level of adherence in the medication-taking subscale. Participants have a moderate level of perceived social support overall, with the highest support reported in the tangible support subscale. Higher total social support was significantly associated with adherence in both unadjusted and adjusted analyses (PR = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.02-1.08). After adjusting for the covariates, all four domains of social support were significantly associated with adherence.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates a significant positive association between perceived functional social support and adherence to hypertension therapy among hypertensive patients in Nepal. All subscales of functional social support, particularly tangible support, were associated with adherence to hypertension therapy. Future directions should include longitudinal studies to better explore the causal relationship between social support and adherence.

Comments

This is an Open Access Thesis.

Recommended Citation

Gurung, Shirish, "Role Of Functional Social Support In Adherence To Hypertension Therapy: A Community-Based Study In Nepal" (2026). Public Health Theses. 2611.
https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/ysphtdl/2611