Lived Experience of People With Hypertension in Ethiopia: A Phenomenological Study, 2025

Background Hypertension present substantial and increasing challenge in Ethiopia. Significant knowledge gaps remain about how patients experience and manage the condition within their social, cultural, and economical context. Therefore, this study aimed to asses lived experience of patients with hypertension in Ethiopia using qualitative approach. The study might contribute to address the existing gaps in managements and controlling of hypertension, and support sustainable, equitable, and patient centered hypertensive patient care in Ethiopia. This study aimed to asses lived experience of patients with hypertension in Ethiopia using qualitative phenomenological study using socioecological model, July, 2025 Methods Data was collected from participants who are lived experience with HTN in north west Amhara tertiary hospitals, Ethiopia in July, 2025. Participants were recruited using purposive sampling. The study was used heterogeneous sampling technique to recruit study participants, which included all age groups above 18 years old and both male and female living with HTN were incorporated. Data was collected using the local language (Amharic) so that translated in to English for coding and analysis. Data was imported and analyzed using the ATLAS Ti, v. 7 software following standardized transcription. A thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. To possess the rigor and trustworthiness of the study, credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability were considered. Results The eight themes that emerged from the analysis are (1) Emotional and cognitive response to diagnosis with two sub-themes comprises existing initial reaction and patient understanding of hypertension (HTN); (2) health provider interaction and communication with a sub-theme includes health care support and information. (3) adaptation and self-management with three subthemes comprehending lifestyle changes and medication use, (4) treatment challenges and complications, which include medication side effects, access to medication, and adherence to treatment, (5) social and family support, which contains two themes, including family, friends, and social encouragement and assistance, (6) Impact on daily life comprises two, which include daily activities (work) and functioning and social life. (7) Perception and perception of control through two themes that encompass belief in treatment efficacy and disease understanding (8) health care system and access barriers through three themes, which include transportation barriers, long waiting times, and quality of health services. Conclusion This study implied tailored patient education, strength, provider communication, and community engagement are essential for improving adherence and health outcome. Majority of the participates stated they had varied emotional and physical reaction up on being realization of their hypertension. Most of them accepted the condition coolly. Prior experience of knowledge about hypertension through family history, media significantly affect their initial emotional reaction to the diagnosis. Interaction with health providers mainly influenced patients’ understanding of their illness condition. The most important theme got from participants’ experience was how they adapted to living with hypertension. Those include, lifestyle changes, adherence to dietary restriction and treatment. The majority of participants reported that hypertension had minimal impact on their daily life, activities and social life. Some participants identified substantial health system challenges that complicated their hypertension management for instance, transportation, medication unavailability’s, and longtime waiting.