Profetana, J. B. (2017). Addressing the barriers to hypertension management in Limasawa, Southern Leyte (Unpublished master's thesis). Graduate School of Public and Development Management, Development Academy of the Philippines.

Graduate School of Public and Development Management Health Systems and Development Batch 7 Thesis (MPM-HSD)--Development Academy of the Philippines.

Included in the top ten causes of disease in the Philippines are hypertension related disorders like ischemic heart disease, stroke, hypertensive heart disease, and kidney disease (WHO, 2015). In Limasawa, hypertension id the second most common cause of morbidity and it has the most number of related diseases that caused mortality, namely myocardial infarction, ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, congestive heart failure and renal failure. (eFHSIS Limasawa, 2015). The objectives of the study were first, to identify the barriers of hypertension management in Limasawa, second to identify the factors that contribute to these barriers, third, to formulate policies and programs to improve hypertension management. The first objective was met through a survey and descriptive analysis of the data. The findings concluded the following patients related barriers are, poor medical adherence, lack of follow up with a health worker, and lack of regular blood pressure monitoring, heath worker related barrier is that all health workers do not manage hypertensive patients because most of them did not undergo training on hypertension management or are unaware of any guideline, and health system related barriers are inadequate support from both national and local government. Health Worker to the population ratio and medical equipment were adequate. The second objective was met through quantitative and inferential statistics. Medical adherence is less in 50 59 year old males with longer duration of illness. Paying in full and distant location where medicines are produced also negatively affect medical adherence. Follow up with a health workers decreases in the 40 43 and 70 89 year old age groups. Male gender and 1 3 years from diagnosis also decrease compliance to follow up. Surprisingly, the RHU and free consultations have negative correlation with regular follow up. Lack of blood pressure monitoring was significally if the measurement was done at home or at the barangay health station and if the measurement was done by a family member or by a barangay health worker. The last objective created policies and programs targeted at the research findings. This was done through a community based hypertension club, called Swwethearts Club to organize activities for the patients like blood pressure monitoring and follow up. The RHU health workers were trained on blood on hypertension management and the barangay health workers were trained on blood pressure measurement. Free medicines were given and distributed at the barangay level. Bloor pressure vonytl and regular follow up was already noted 3 months after the program launched. Health education and physical activities was done along with the mentioned strategies to improve hypertension management goals.