Improving Medication Adherence Among Patients with Hypertension: A Policy Brief

Hypertension remains a major public health challenge, and poor medication adherence continues to limit effective blood pressure control despite the widespread availability of antihypertensive medications. This policy brief draws on evidence from a qualitative content analysis of interviews with 29 purposively selected participants to identify the factors influencing medication adherence among patients with hypertension in Iran. The findings indicate that medication adherence is shaped by a complex interaction of patient-related, sociocultural, and health system factors rather than by individual behavior alone. They also demonstrate that strengthening primary healthcare services, improving health literacy, enhancing patient-provider communication, and ensuring continuity of care are critical for supporting long-term medication adherence. Based on these findings, this policy brief recommends integrating structured medication-adherence support into routine primary healthcare, alongside coordinated educational and patient-centered strategies, to improve hypertension control and reduce the long-term burden of cardiovascular disease in Iran.