title: Cultural factors associated with antihypertensive medication adherence in Chinese immigrants.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about hypertension control and cultural factors related to medication adherence in Chinese immigrants.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  : The purpose of this study was to characterize Chinese immigrants with hypertension and to examine what cultural factors are associated with medication adherence.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional design was used. Data were gathered from a convenience sample of 200 subjects recruited in an Asian outpatient clinic in the San Francisco Bay Area using self-report questionnaires and blood pressure measurements. Participants were Chinese immigrants 18 years old and older, taking antihypertensive medications, and able to speak Mandarin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age was 71 (+/-10) years. Half were men (50%). Most were married (70%), and reported an annual family income of <20,000 dollars (71%) and an average length of stay in the United States of 13 (+/-7) years. Medication adherence was reported by 75%, although only 51% had controlled hypertension. Four of 8 cultural factors were statistically significant predictors for medication nonadherence: lower perceived susceptibility [OR = 3.77 (95% CI 1.19, 12.01)]; higher perceived benefit of Chinese herbs [OR = 2.21 (95% CI 1.02, 4.81)]; lower perceived benefit of Western medications for hypertension [OR = 2.78 (95% CI 1.13, 6.84)]; and longer length of stay in the United States [OR = 2.48 (95% CI 1.12, 5.50)].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Four cultural factors were identified as significant predictors of medication nonadherence in this sample. These findings can guide culturally appropriate nursing interventions for hypertension management in Chinese immigrants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Nursing, School of Nursing, University of California San Francisco, CA 94143-0610, USA. wenwenli@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Wen-Wen
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Anita L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stotts
authors.forename: Erika Sivarajan
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Froelicher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001213:Asian; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents