The Family Involvement Role in Assisting with Hypertension Management: A Qualitative Study

Background: Comprehensive management of hypertension requires both pharmacological and lifestyle modification. Many hypertensive patients may need support to manage their blood pressure successfully (e.g., family). Therefore, the aim of this qualitative study was to explore the extent the role family involvement has in assisting with hypertension management, in terms of understanding what hypertension is and how is it managed. Methods The study utilised a grounded theory method for the qualitative inquiry for this study. The participants were purposefully selected through having conversations with the study participants of the intervention study group. Participants were invited and recruited from Umlazi Township, KwaZulu-Natal and the research invited participants that are closest family members. The recorded in-person interviews took approximately 30 to 60 minutes depending on conversations with participants. Results Four themes emerged and found the more family is involved in their management; hypertension patients feel empowered to also take charge of their own healing and better understand their condition and how to improve their lifestyle. The more informed the hypertensive patient in understanding the physiological aspect of the condition, the more it seems to empower them to be able to have better knowledge to manage it. Conclusion A plan to engage families more in hypertension management must be developed, in a manner that takes into consideration the patients’ needs and lack of resources that might be a challenge to the family members.