Relationship between health literacy, illness perception, and medication adherence among Karen older adults with uncontrolled hypertension
Keywords:
Health literacy, Illness perception, Medication adherence, Karen older adults, Uncontrolled hypertensionAbstract
Uncontrolled hypertension is a significant health concern among Karen older adults. Medication adherence is a crucial factor for elderly Karen to maintain appropriate blood pressure levels. This descriptive correlational study aimed to examine the relationship between health-literacy, illness perception, and medication adherence among Karen older adults with uncontrolled hypertension. Sample consisted of 84 elderly Karen residents in Tak province, selected through purposive sampling between April and May 2024. Research instruments included 1) personal information questionnaire, 2) health literacy questionnaire, 3) illness perception questionnaire, and 4) medication adherence questionnaire. The instruments were tested for content validity by six experts, and their reliability was analyzed using Cronbach’s alpha, yielding efficiencies of .85, .83, and .81 respectively. Data were analyzed using frequency distribution, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and Spearman’s rank correlation. Research results indicated that 59.5% of participants demonstrated a moderate level of medication adherence. In addition, 64.29% had a moderate level of health literacy, while 91.67% reported a high level of illness perception. Both health literacy and illness perception had a positive and statistically significant correlation with medication adherence at a level of p<.01 (rs=.73 and .52, respectively). Therefore, improving health literacy and illness perception may enhance medication adherence among elderly Karen individuals with uncontrolled hypertension. The findings provide foundational data for developing innovative interventions to promote medication adherence in the care of Karen older adults with uncontrolled hypertension.
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