Does implementation of mobile web app for medication reminder and health education increases treatment adherence among African American Males?

Does implementation of mobile web app for medication reminder and health education increases treatment adherence among African American Males?
Name
Course number
Instructor’s name
Date
Introduction of the clinical problem and the clinical context that led you to identification of the clinical question
Adherence is important for improved quality of life among hypertensive patients. Non-adherent hypertensive patients have been reported to be at more risk of suffering from and dying from stroke. Studies indicate that patients that fail to take their medication on time have a more than two times risk of dying after few years of taking the prescribed medicine to control hypertension (Christensen, et al., 2009). A Mobile web app designed to alert patients to take their medication improves African American males’ self- management for medication adherence. It aids in chronic disease management by improving patients confidence in adhering to prescribed medication to control blood pressure. I selected the topic from the school suggestions of topics for clinical Scholarly Projects driven by personal passion for increased quality of life among hypertensive African Americans.
Non-adherence to hypertension medication is prevalent among African American men (Lewis, Schoenthhaler, & Ogedegbe, 2012).The rate of non-adherence is unacceptably high in black men even when they have similar access to care and income as compared with their white counterparts. Pharmacy refill studies that measure adherence also confirm that they have considerably low adherence compared to whites. This occurs despite African American males having a good understanding of the potential benefits of adherence and the risks that emanate from non-adherence (Lewis, Schoenthhaler, & Ogedegbe, 2012).
Background literature and theory related to the problem and discussion of its relevance to the local clinical setting
A certain study indicates that between 1999 and 2004, 56 percent of African American men were accessing treatment for hypertension as compared to 60 percent of white men. It also indicates that out of these, only 30 percent of the black men had their blood pressure under control as compared to 39 percent of the white men. In the same period, there were more deaths resulting from hypertension among African American men compared to deaths among African American women and white men. The death rate was at over 30 African American men’s deaths, less than 30 African American women’s deaths and less than 15 white men’s deaths per every 100,000 deaths respectively (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010).
Owing to high rates of non-adherence to hypertension medication among African American males, incidents of death from heart disease and stroke is higher compared to incidents in white men. The CDC report indicates over four African American men’s deaths and less than two white men’s deaths in every 100000 heart disease related deaths between 1999 and 2004 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010).
There are several factors that determine adherence behavior among African American men. One of the main reasons is depression which strongly determines adherence among African American men (Lewis, Schoenthhaler, & Ogedegbe, 2012). African American male patients with chronic illnesses are at risk of suffering from depression and registering low adherence to medication as a result. Age also contributes to non-adherence behavior among African American men and younger men are reported to be more non-adherent compared to the older men (Lewis, Schoenthhaler, & Ogedegbe, 2012).
There is also evidence that indicates that empathetic and cooperative communication with the provider plays a significant role in ensuring adherence in the male African Americans (Lewis, Schoenthhaler, & Ogedegbe, 2012). Mobile web applications can improve African American’s communication with their providers allowing the patients to adhere more to prescriptions. This is because studies have shown that hypertensive African Americans are at a disadvantaged position of accessing quality care compared to whites. Whites are at a more advantaged position to access care from a consistent provider. This is has been directly linked to their success in blood pressure control (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010).
African American patients have indicated that existence of a trusting and genuine relationship with a provider allows them to adhere to medication and manage their treatment better. In developing good communication, patient centeredness and racially accommodative care approaches are important in offering quality care for African American males (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010).
Self-efficacy is also another important factor in determining adherence. It is a measure of individual patients’ confidence in remaining adherent to prescribed medication (Lewis, Schoenthhaler, & Ogedegbe, 2012). It is reported that African American men that display low confidence in the ability to remain adherent have a difficulty in medication adherence. It is necessary to implement measures that increase their confidence in taking medication in compliance with their prescription.
Using a mobile web app for reminders and health education improves patient’s self-management in adhering to medication. This way, they are able to develop an adherence routine and deeper understanding of how to achieve better health through implementing health education information. Self-management involves strategies that assist patients to solve problems related to their hypertensive condition. These strategies take cognizance of the fact that patients have a primary role in managing the condition through better health behaviors such as adherence.
Mobile web applications are the new ways of engaging and managing patients in Medicaid programs particularly those with hypertension. Mobile technology is perceived to be widespread, cost effective and efficient in disseminating health information. It is also notable that health information positively impacts adherence, assists in mitigating medical mistakes and improves general health outcomes (Oscar, 2012).
Using the mobile web applications patients receive guidance on how to monitor their adherence habits and prevent risks that result from non-adherence such as stroke. They also receive information on benefits of adherence to medication as well as recommendations on dietary changes that assist them to better manage their dietary intake. It also helps African American males to get rid of misconceptions that hypertension may be treated with home-made regimens. It is an effective strategy that offers information about etiology of hypertension to the African American males and gives them a responsibility of personally managing their condition from a position of knowledge (Hekler, Lambert, Leventhal, Leventhal, Jahn, & Contrada, 2008).
It is estimated that downloads of health related information in the US may reach 142 million by 2016 as the use of smartphones to access health information increases. For instance, in 2011 almost seventeen million people retrieved such information on through different forms of mobile technologies such as smart phones and cell phones. This was a 125 percent increase when compared to 2010 (Oscar, 2012). The health care system uses mobile technology apps to disseminate health plans and reminders at any time and from any location and recipients receive it immediately. It is an effective way of making health information more accessible in a convenient way (Oscar, 2012). This is particularly important in the era of growing Medicaid population.
Poor adherence to prescribed drugs is one of the greatest causes of hospitalization for hyp...