NIHR Open Research· 2026Q2
Acceptability of three smartphone apps to improve adherence to blood pressure medicines in community pharmacies: a qualitative interview study of patients and pharmacy staff
- 0citations
- Q2SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Three smartphone apps were acceptable to patients with hypertension and supported by community pharmacy staff for managing blood pressure medications, with features like reminders, multi-medication tracking, and direct messaging being particularly welcomed.
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Key points
- Smartphone apps were found to be acceptable for patients with hypertension and supported by community pharmacy staff.
- Welcomed app features included reminder notifications, tracking multiple medications, direct messaging, and scanning medication details.
- Patients suggested additional features like inputting blood pressure readings and saving details on unused medicines/GP appointments.
- Implementation success may be contingent on pharmacy capacity and available resources.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Background Around eight million people in England are treated for high blood pressure; however, many do not take their medications as prescribed, which can lead to serious health complications. Community pharmacists can support patients in taking medication, but they often lack time to do so. Smartphone apps may help patients take medicines in this environment. This study explored the experiences and views of patients and pharmacy staff regarding the use of three apps to manage blood pressure medication as part of a randomized feasibility trial. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 participants (22 people with hypertension and eight pharmacy staff ) across eight community pharmacies in the East of England . The data were analysed thematically using a constant comparative approach. Key themes were identified, with findings reported as verbatim quotes. Results Five key themes were identified: Two were associated with the general characteristics of reminder apps and three were related to increased app functionality. Participants welcomed the apps’ reminder notification, ability to track multiple medications, direct messaging with pharmacies, and scanning function for uploading medication details. Patients also recommended additional features, including inputting blood pressure readings and the ability to save details on unused medicines and GP appointments. However, implementing this technology may depend on the capacity and resources available at the pharmacy site. Conclusions This study adds to the growing body of research on the use of smartphone apps for the self-management of medications. We found that digital apps were acceptable to patients using blood-pressure-lowering medicines and were supported by staff in community pharmacies. Apps with additional functionality that enables prescription reordering and facilitates direct communication with pharmacists have the potential to simplify medication management. However, further research is needed to assess their effectiveness and explore the best practices for use across a wider pharmacy setting.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. NIHR Open Research, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Family Practice
Family PracticeMedicine