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Anti-hypertensive medication access and affordability and their association with blood pressure control at a teaching hospital in Ghana.
Harrison, Mark Amankwa; Marfo, Afia Frimpomaa Asare; Opare-Addo, Mercy Naa Aduele; Ankrah, Daniel Nii Amoo; Acheampong, Franklin; Nelson, Frempomaa; Buabeng, Kwame Ohene.
Afiliación
  • Harrison MA; Pharmacy Department, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana.
  • Marfo AFA; Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
  • Opare-Addo MNA; Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
  • Ankrah DNA; Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
  • Acheampong F; Pharmacy Department, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana.
  • Nelson F; Pharmacy Department, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana.
  • Buabeng KO; Pharmacy Department, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana.
Pan Afr Med J ; 39: 184, 2021.
Article en En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34584609
ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION:

many hypertensive patients require two or more anti-hypertensive drugs, but in low- and middle-income countries there may be challenges with medication access or affordability. The objective of this study was to determine accessibility and affordability of anti-hypertensive medicines and their association with blood pressure (BP) control among hypertensive patients attending the Korle-Bu teaching hospital (KBTH) polyclinic.

METHODS:

a cross-sectional study was conducted among 310 systematically sampled hypertensive patients attending the KBTH Polyclinic in Ghana. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain data on patient demographics and clinical characteristics, prices, availability and mode of payment of generic anti-hypertensive medicines.

RESULTS:

fifty-nine patients (19.4%) made out-of-pocket payments. At the private pharmacy and hospital, 123 (40.5%) and 77 patients (25.3%) respectively could not afford four anti-hypertensive medicines. Medicines availability at KBTH was 60%. Continuous access to BP drugs at KBTH was 14.8%. Overall access was 74.9% (SD ± 41.3). Out-of-pocket affordability of the medicines was positively correlated with BP control (R=0.12, p=0.037). Obtaining medicines via health insurance only was more likely to result in BP control than making any out-of-pocket payments (OR= 2.185; 95% CI, 1.215 - 3.927). Access at KBTH was more likely to result in BP control (OR=1.642; 95% C.I, 0.843 - 3.201).

CONCLUSION:

there were access challenges although most patients obtained BP medication free. Out-of-pocket affordability is a challenge for some hypertensive patients. Access to affordable BP medication can improve BP control. These findings provide an impetus for urgently evaluating access to affordable anti-hypertensive medicines in other hospitals in Ghana.
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Texto completo: 1 Colección: 01-internacional Banco de datos: MEDLINE Asunto principal: Medicamentos Genéricos / Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud / Hipertensión / Antihipertensivos Tipo de estudio: Health_economic_evaluation / Observational_studies / Prevalence_studies / Qualitative_research / Risk_factors_studies Límite: Adolescent / Adult / Aged / Aged80 / Female / Humans / Male / Middle aged País/Región como asunto: Africa Idioma: En Revista: Pan Afr Med J Año: 2021 Tipo del documento: Article País de afiliación: Ghana

Texto completo: 1 Colección: 01-internacional Banco de datos: MEDLINE Asunto principal: Medicamentos Genéricos / Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud / Hipertensión / Antihipertensivos Tipo de estudio: Health_economic_evaluation / Observational_studies / Prevalence_studies / Qualitative_research / Risk_factors_studies Límite: Adolescent / Adult / Aged / Aged80 / Female / Humans / Male / Middle aged País/Región como asunto: Africa Idioma: En Revista: Pan Afr Med J Año: 2021 Tipo del documento: Article País de afiliación: Ghana