Assessment of the Medication Adherence Among Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients in ALSha’ab Teaching Hospital, Sudan

Abstract

Background: Adherence to therapy is one of the basic predilections to successfully treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Unfortunately, predictors of medication adherence are not well-known in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Sudan. Objective: To assess the medication adherence in the patients treated for COPD in ALSha’ab Teaching Hospital. Methods: An observational, hospital-based cross-sectional study conducted on a sample of COPD outpatients. The following information was obtained: adherence to COPD therapy (Morisky Medication Adherence Scale - 4 items), age, gender, smoking status, treatment regimen for COPD, and COPD medication costs per month paid by the patients. Data was analyzed by using SPSS version 21.0. Results: Among 100 COPD patients, 73 (73%) were males, and (47%) belonged to the age group 40- 60 years. Regarding adherence, 47 (47%) reported as medium adherent, 38 (38%) as low adherents, and 15 (15%) patients as high adherent. High Adherence to COPD therapy was associated with older age (27%), married (16.5%), literate (23.3%), drugs with less frequent dosing (50%), oral medications (75%), aware of the inhaler usage (22.7%), a smaller number of drugs (41.4%), and affordable drugs (28.8%). Conclusion: The level of adherence to COPD therapy is low. Understanding factors associated with medication adherence could help enhance health outcomes in COPD. Non-adherence was associated with middle age, unmarried patients, number of respiratory drugs and daily COPD drug doses, Low knowledge and increased difficulties in inhaler technique, and non-affordability of drugs.