Date of Conferral

1-1-2021

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Health

Advisor

Diana d. Naser

Abstract

Hypertension remains a worldwide health phenomenon with serious health consequences including heart attack, stroke, aneurysm, and heart failure. Beliefs about medicines have been shown to influence hypertension outcomes. Medication adherence has emerged as a vital component of hypertension control and management. However, there has been limited research which addresses beliefs about medicines and medication adherence in Blacks of Caribbean origin. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to identify the beliefs about medications held among hypertensive Caribbean immigrants living in New York City using the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire to identify what factors/barriers were related to these specific medication beliefs and to determine whether these medication beliefs influence adherence. The health belief model served as the theoretical construct for the study. The study included a sample of 100 hypertensive Caribbean immigrants living in New York City who attended an adult primary care clinic. Data were analyzed using the Pearson Chi-square, Mann-Whitney U-test, and regression analysis. The findings of this study showed that among the participants, gender, age, and employment were associated with specific medication taking behaviors (p < .05). The findings of this study could promote positive social change by identifying potential factors/barriers that influence blood pressure control among the Caribbean immigrant population. This may not only help improve individual health in Blacks of Caribbean origin but may also be beneficial in reducing the overall burden of hypertension within some New York City neighborhoods.

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