A Study Of Proportion Of Adherence And Factors Related To Adherence Towards Medication For Psychopharmacological Therapy

Abstract

Objectives: The study was conducted to determine the proportion of adherence in patients taking medications related to psychiatric illnesses and the factors related to adherence.

Methods: This prospective study was conducted in the Department of Psychiatry, GGS Medical College and Hospital, Faridkot, Punjab. The study enrolled 425 patients from both the indoor (IPD) and outdoor patients (OPD) over a period of one year. The subjects were selected by consecutive sampling. The subjects were evaluated for the purpose of the study using Morisky 8 scale.

Results: In our study, 40.7% (173/425) patients were non-adherent; among these non-adherent group, 36.9% (n=64/173) were non-adherent to their therapy due to patient related factors followed by medication related factors 31.2% (n=54/173) and disease related factors 28.9% (n=50/173). Physician-related factors 3% (n=5/173) was the least reason for non-adherence. There was no statistically significant association of adherence with gender, marital status, and diagnosis (p>0.05). A significant association was found between adherence and Age (p=0.046), Urban/Rural (p=0.019), Employment status (p=0.044), Education level (p=0.041). Non-adherent patients were significantly more in the age group of 31-45 years, from rural area, illiterate, and employed.

Conclusion: In conclusion, currently the adherence of psychiatric patients to medications is low which is governed by a variety of factors. The results warrant a strict monitoring about the adherence to the medications taken by the psychiatric patients, for having better outcomes.