[Black Africans' compliance to antihypertensive treatment].
Hypertension is increasing in sub-Saharan Africa. It is difficult to follow a correct treatment in this environment.


OBJECTIVE
Assessing the compliance of the drug therapy and identifying the characteristics of poor observant patients.


METHODS
A study was carried out over one month at the outpatient department of the Abidjan Heart Institute among 200 sub-Saharan African hypertensives. Their compliance was estimated with the Compliance Evaluation Test of Girerd.


RESULTS
The average age of the patients was 59 years and 59.5% of them were women. Most patients (60%) had a monthly pay lower than 100,000 CFA (Euros 152). Sixty two percent had no medical insurance. So 175 patients (87.5%) had difficulties to follow their treatment. Among them 55% had a very bad compliance and 32.5% had minor difficulties. Only 12.5% of them had a right compliance. A bad compliance was frequent between 30 and 70 years, in women (60.5%), in unemployed patients (93.7%), in married women (68.7%) and in executives (50%). Other factors of a poor compliance was a monthly income lower than 100,000 FCFA (64%), a number of daily tablets higher than three (77.3%), a number of daily administration >or= $ 3 (95.7%) and the high cost of drugs. A bad compliance is more frequent when herbal treatment is associated with medical drugs or used separately.


CONCLUSIONS
The compliance of the antihypertensive treatment was poor. The causes are numerous, but they are very often related with the growing poverty in the black society.
Konin
C
C
Institut de cardiologie d'Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire).
Adoh
M
M
Coulibaly
I
I
Kramoh
E
E
Safou
M
M
N'Guetta
R
R
N'Djessan
J-J
JJ
Koffi
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D044383:Black People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007560:Cote d'Ivoire / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012737:Sex Factors; D014478:Unemployment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents