Treatment Compliance Among Women With Pregnancy Induced Hypertension Attending Selected Health Facilities In Rachuonyo North Sub-County, Homabay County, Kenya.

ABSTRACT

Treatment compliance among pregnant women with pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) continues to be a major global health challenge. Maternal and infant mortality and morbidity remain high and PIH is one of the leading causes. However very little has been achieved to bring this condition under control and many mothers and newborns continue to die or suffer many complications. The main objective of this study was to assess treatment compliance among women with PIH in Health Facilities within Rachuonyo North Sub-County Homa-Bay County. The specific objectives were to establish the socio-demographic factors that influence treatment compliance among women with PIH, to determine the knowledge level of women with PIH and to establish the health system factors influencing treatment compliance among women with PIH in Rachuonyo North Sub-county. A cross sectional descriptive study was undertaken targeting pregnant women already diagnosed with PIH in selected Health Facilities within Rachuonyo North Sub-County. Data collection tools used was researcher-administered questionnaires, FGD guides and KIIs. The questionnaires were filled by 175 women who were proportionately allocated the 3 Level 4 health facilities in the Sub-county. Within each health facility, pregnant women with PIH were conveniently sampled. Two doctors, two clinical health officers and two Nurses were used as key informants to provide additional information. The association between the variables was assessed using Chi Square and logistic regression. The level of treatment compliance among women with PIH stood at 18.3%. Among the women with PIH, 68.1% had high knowledge on treatment compliance. Socio-demographic factors that were significantly associated with treatment compliance were age (p-value = .007) and highest level of education attained respondents (p-value = .038). On the health system factors; explanation of PIH during diagnosis (p-value = .001), advice on the importance of taking PIH medications (p-value = .025), explanation on schedule and timing of taking medications (p-value = .024) and frequency of follow up (p-value = .001) were significantly associated with treatment compliance. However education level was the only significant factor that could predict treatment compliance with respondents who had completed primary schools were 4.968 (Adjusted Odds Ratio = 4.968, p-value = .05) times more likely to comply with PIH treatment as compared to respondents who had not completed primary. The study findings are useful for planning and designing appropriate intervention by the Ministry of Health, Non-governmental organization and stakeholders in order to create awareness about treatment compliance among pregnant mothers with PIH so as to avert the trend and prevalence of Pregnancy Induced Hypertension.