Abstract
Background: In Indonesia, burden of hypertension is still reaching the uppermost rank among all diseases. Recent data showed that only 0.7% of people diagnosed with hypertension were taking their suggested regiment of medication. Objective: To determine the relationship between medication adherence to hypertension status in hypertensive patients in public health center. Method: This was an analytical-observational, cross-sectional study design involving 55 patients with hypertension who attended general and geriatric outpatient clinic of Mengwi I Public Health Center, Bali, from May until September 2018. Medication adherence was assessed with the Modified Morisky Adherence Scale-8 (MAMS-8) questionnaire and hypertension status was determined based on medical record. Chi-square analysis used to see the relationship between hypertension status with medication adherence, current anti-hypertensive therapy, changes in therapy, number of visits, comorbid diseases, duration of hypertension, exercise habits, and age. Result: Most subjects were women (61,8%) with average age of 62.9 ± 9.9 years. Of all subjects, 47.3% were non-adherent and 58,2% had uncontrolled hypertension. Only 25.5% patient had more than 4 consecutive visits. Mean duration of hypertension was 2.4 ± 1.9 years. There was a significant relationship between medication adherence and the amounts of visits with hypertension status (P<0.05). Conclusion: There was significant relationship between medication adherence and the amounts of visits with hypertension status. Effective and comprehensive treatment of hypertension should have its imperative efforts by the patient combined with supporting health system, to receive an early diagnosis, pharmacological treatment as well as non-pharmacological management, and healthy lifestyle advices given by the physicians.

Key words: hypertension, adherence, visits, public health center