Hypertension (HTN) is a major risk factor for the development of heart disease, which is the number one cause of death in the United States (U.S.). The Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) led to a significant increase in emergency department (ED) visits: up to 20 [percent] of visits are considered as avoidable. Many patients present to EDs with uncontrolled chronic health conditions, such as HTN, which can be successfully managed in the outpatient setting. Factors contributing to the large volume of patients that present to the ED with uncontrolled HTN has been understudied. This cross-sectional study examined relationships between selected demographic and health variables, medication adherence, health literacy and social support network among adults (n=50) with HTN that presented to the ED. Participants were predominantly male (56 [percent]), 41-60 years old (46 [percent]), and Caucasian (60 [percent]). Only 36 [percent] of participants were adherent to their HTN medications, 42 [percent] had adequate health literacy, and 38 [percent] perceived high levels of social support. The variable with the strongest correlation to medication adherence was last primary care provider (PCP) visit (-0.473, p [less than] 0.001). However only 54 [percent] of participants had seen a PCP over the last 6 months. Increasing PCP visits and reducing avoidable ED visits has the potential to improve chronic disease health outcomes and reduce health care costs. This study has provided evidence that it is both acceptable and feasible to perform research in the ED setting that addresses chronic health conditions, such as HTN. Findings from this study may be used to inform novel ED interventions that can help adults to better manage their chronic health conditions, such as HTN, outside of the acute care setting.
The relationship between medication adherence, health literacy and social support network in the hypertensive emergency department patient