Empowering hypertensive patients on chronic medicines at primary health care facilities in South Africa with knowledge to improve disease management
Objectives: Uncontrolled hypertension negatively impacts on mortality. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a pharmacist-driven patient counselling and education model to empower hypertensive patients on chronic medication. Methods: An operational research project with a quasi-experimental design including an intervention group (55 patients) and a control group (31 patients) of chronic hypertensive patients. Data were collected with interview-administered questionnaires and analysed using SAS® version 9.4. Pharmacist interventions included an educational diary on hypertension management and patient counselling. Findings: There was a 34.7% improvement in patients’ understanding of what normal blood pressure (BP) is in the intervention group compared to the control group (p 90%). Conclusions: A pharmacist driven patient counselling and education model can help improve patients’ hypertension knowledge and BP control. These should increasingly become routine, aiming to improve chronic disease management.