Patient Preference and Adherence (Oct 2020)
Medication Non-Adherence and Associated Factors Among Diabetic Patients Visiting General Hospitals in the Eastern Zone of Tigrai, Northern Ethiopia
Abstract
Ephrem Mebrahtu Araya,1 Haylay Araya Gebrezgabiher,1 Gebretsadkan Hintsa Tekulu,2 Niguse Meles Alema,1 Desalegn Getnet,1 Hirut Teame Gebru,3 Betelhem Anteneh Adamu4 1Department of Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Adigrat University, Adigrat, Ethiopia; 2Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia; 3Department of Public Health, Colleges of Medicine and Health Sciences, Adigrat University, Adigrat, Ethiopia; 4Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Ephrem Mebrahtu ArayaDepartment of Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Adigrat University, Adigrat, Tigrai, EthiopiaTel +251 914425760Email [email protected]: Medication non-adherence is a major public health problem among diabetes mellitus patients. However, there is a lack of data regarding its magnitude and the factors contributing to Ethiopia’s non-adherence, especially in the Tigrai region. This study was conducted to assess the magnitude of non-adherence and its contributing factors among diabetes mellitus patients in the Eastern Zone of Tigrai, Northern Ethiopia.Materials and Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted at Adigrat and Wukro General Hospitals using a pre-tested, self-administered, semi-structured questionnaire developed from the relevant literature and a checklist developed to review patient medical cards for the period of the 15th of March to the 15th of July, 2019. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20. Association between the dependent and the independent variable was performed using logistic regression and a p-value of < 0.05 was considered significant.Results: From a total of 321 study participants, 63.9% of the patients were non-adherent to their medications. Two-month dose issued on each visit (AOR = 2.865, 95% CI 1.380– 5.949), dose issued for more than three months (AOR = 4.314, 95% CI 1.526– 12.195), monthly income below 500 birr (AOR = 5.048, 95% CI 2.094– 12.168), monthly income between 500 and 2000 birr (AOR = 2.593, 95% CI 1.032– 6.517), distance greater than 24 kilometers from hospital to home (AOR = 10.091, 95% CI 3.509– 29.020), more than four prescribed medications per visit (AOR=7.192, 95% CI= 2.171– 23.824), never receiving counseling (AOR=22.334, 95% CI= 9.270– 53.810), and diabetes-related admission (AOR=0.248, 95% CI= 0.078– 0.789) were significantly associated with patients’ non-adherence to diabetes mellitus medications.Conclusion: The level of diabetic medication adherence was suboptimal, and our study highlights that better monthly earning, nearby health-care accessibility, fewer prescribed medication, and getting appropriate counseling about diabetes mellitus were predictive of adherence to medications. Hence, an urgent intervention targeting the development of guidelines that involve these determinates should be employed to improve health care.Keywords: diabetes mellitus, Ethiopia, medication non-adherence, patients
