Investigation of the relationship between health literacy and compliance with antihypertensive drug treatment in geriatric individuals with hypertension

Introduction: This study is descriptive- cross sectional study designed to examine the relationship between health literacy and compliance with antihypertensive drug treatment in geriatric individuals with hypertension. Materials and Methods: For this research, data were collected in cardiology, cardiovascular surgery service, internal medicine and nephrology services of Gebze Fatih State Hospital between 01.01.2021 and 30.06.2021 and it was carried out with 284 eldery individuals who met the sample selection criteria. Descriptive characteristics data collection form, Turkish Health Literacy Scale (TSOY-32) and Antihypertensive Drug Treatment Adherence Scale (AİTUÖ) were used to collect research data. T- Test and One- Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) analysis were used for demographic comparisons with the scales used in the study. In this study whether there is a relationship between qualitative (categorical) variables was examined by Chi-Square analysis Pearson Chi- Squareand Fisher Exact tests were used. Results: In this study, the mean age of individuals was 73.15 ± 7.18 year, %51.1 were female, %48.9 were male. %47.9 of individuals have hypertension for 180 months. The majority (%27.8) of eldery individuals participating in the study have insufficient health literacy. %87.7 of women have excellent health literacy. As the age increases, the level of health literacy also increases. %37.2 of people whose blood pressure is measured by their relatives at home have excellent health literacy. %85.6 of individuals are compatible with antihypertencive drug therapy %84.4 of individuals who have a blood pressure monitor at home and %82.6 of individuals whose blood pressure is measured by their relatives are compatible with drug therapy. %39.9 of individuals using diuretic drugs are compatible with drug therapy. Conclusion: As a result of the analysis performed in the study, no significant relationship was found between TSOY levels and compiance with antihypertensive drug therapy. Key Words: Hypertension, eldery individual, health literacy, accordance to antihypertensive drug therapy, nursing.