Participants’ sociodemographic and clinical characteristics (N = 246)
| Characteristic | Categories | M (SD) | N (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | - | 57.1 (8.4) | - |
| Gender | Female | - | 129 (52.4) |
| Male | - | 117 (47.6) | |
| Social status | Single | - | 3 (1.2) |
| Married | - | 202 (82.1) | |
| Widowed | - | 23 (9.3) | |
| Divorced | - | 18 (7.3) | |
| Living status | With family | - | 231 (93.9) |
| Alone | - | 15 (6.1) | |
| Living area | Islamabad | - | 155 (63.0) |
| Rawalpindi | - | 91 (37.0) | |
| Educational level | Illiterate | - | 17 (6.9) |
| Primary education | - | 14 (5.7) | |
| Secondary education | - | 31 (12.6) | |
| Post-secondary education | - | 23 (9.3) | |
| University education or higher | - | 161 (65.4) | |
| Currently working | Yes | - | 194 (78.9) |
| No | - | 52 (21.1) | |
| Monthly income | Less than 20,000 PKR | - | 13 (5.3) |
| 20,001–30,000 PKR | - | 86 (34.9) | |
| 30,001–40,000 PKR | - | 131 (53.3) | |
| More than 40,000 PKR | - | 16 (6.5) | |
| Smoker | Yes | - | 52 (21.1) |
| No | - | 163 (66.3) | |
| Previously | - | 31 (12.6) | |
| Total number of medications taken/day | - | 7.5 (2.5) | - |
| Frequency of all medications/day | - | 2.6 (1.5) | - |
| All medications are taken by | Prescription | - | 151 (61.4) |
| Without a doctor’s prescription | - | 23 (9.3) | |
| Both | - | 72 (29.3) | |
| When did you start taking treatment for hypertension | 2- less than 5 years | - | 103 (41.9) |
| 5 years or more | - | 143 (58.1) | |
| Who is providing your medication | By myself | - | 173 (70.3) |
| A family member/caregiver | - | 29 (11.8) | |
| Both | - | 44 (17.9) | |
| Cost of your medication | Considered expensive | - | 183 (74.4) |
| Considered cheap | - | 38 (15.4) | |
| Other | - | 25 (10.2) |
M: mean; N: number; SD: standard deviation; -: not applicable