Accepting and adjusting to chronicity of hypertension: A grounded theory study in Thai people

Hypertension has become one of the most significant public health problems in Thailand. A large amount of research have been conducted to study medication effectiveness, patient's compliance, and application of self-care models among Thai people with hypertension. Little is know about the patients' perspectives concerning their experiences with hypertension and their management strategies. The contrasting views about hypertension between clients and providers might be a possible explanation for poor follow-up and control of hypertension in Thailand as it is evidenced in many studies.; This qualitative study employed grounded theory method to explore the phenomena of hypertension experiences and the contextual influences of daily living on responses to hypertension management among the Thai people with hypertension who lived in non-municipal areas. Participants in this study were 17 people with essential hypertension attending the outpatient clinic at a large government hospital in Khon Kaen, Thailand for treatment plus an addition of 2 people who were not currently receiving treatment from healthcare providers. Each participant was interviewed for about an hour using open-ended questions.; Results from the study show that the transition of participants' perception that they were dealing with chronic rather than episodic illness was an important process to help them self-manage the condition. The model of self-managing hypertension, which consisted of five major stages; getting diagnosis, getting treatment/follow-up, responding to diagnosis, seeking a cure, and accepting and adjusting to chronicity of hypertension, was developed from the study data. People who could accept and adjust themselves to the chronicity of hypertension lived more flexibly as they learned the importance and the ability of “self” to manage hypertension. Additionally, findings from this study also indicate there was a communication problem between providers and clients that contributed to the clients' inability to manage their condition appropriately.; Knowledge gained from this study can be used to improve of care for Thai people with hypertension by promoting them to recognize and adjust to the chronic state of hypertension. Study results also suggested that healthcare providers should pay more attention to patients' understanding of given information about hypertension and its management.