Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Perceptions of Disease State Management Among Pakistani Hypertensive Patients: Findings from a Focus Group Discussion

F Saleem¹, M A Hassali¹ , A A Shafie¹, S Bashir², M Atif³

¹Discipline of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Minden, Penang, Malaysia; ²Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sargodha, Punjab, Pakistan; ³Discipline of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Minden, Penang, Malaysia.

For correspondence:- M Hassali Email: azmihassali@usm.my Tel:+6046534085

Received: 1 June 2011 Accepted: 14 November, 2011 Published: 25 December 2011

Citation: Saleem F, Hassali MA, Shafie AA, Bashir S, Atif M. Perceptions of Disease State Management Among Pakistani Hypertensive Patients: Findings from a Focus Group Discussion. Trop J Pharm Res 2011; 10(6):833-840 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v10i6.18

© 2011 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To explore the perceptions of disease state management among Pakistani hypertensive patients.

Methods: A focus group discussion was conducted with 19 hypertensive patients in order to obtain an insight into their self-management practices. The study was conducted in Sandeman Provincial Hospital, Quetta, Pakistan.

Results: Analysis of the focus group discussion yielded four major themes: (1) effect of hypertension on patients’ physical, mental and social states; (2) involvement in self-management; (3) factors contributing to self-management; and (4) perception of patients towards antihypertensive agents. A majority of the patients admitted that they were involved in self-management of hypertension but their management strategies were influenced by social sources - peer or family - with very little information received from health care professionals. Exercise of self-management was strongly linked to the philosophy of the patients regarding nature of drug, as well as comparative advantages and disadvantages. Patients also expressed reservations about continuous drug usage for the management of chronic illnesses.

Conclusion: Patients suffering from chronic diseases such as hypertension tend to make individual and personal decisions about managing their illnesses. Patients seem to be more influenced by peers, family members and people with the disease condition, and thus try to manage their condition based on advice received from them. In addition, their philosophy of medication use and hypertension (being a chronic disease) prompts them to focus more on self-management practices.

Keywords: Self-management, Focus group, Hypertension, Perception