Medication Non-Adherence and Disability among Outpatients with Schizophrenia in North-Central Nigeria

Abstract

Background: About fifty percent of patients with Schizophrenia do not take their medication as prescribed. This scenario often results in disease progression and increased relapse rates, resulting in poor outcomes, including functional disability. Aim: This study was design to evaluate the relationship between medication non-adherence and disability in patients with Schizophrenia attending the outpatient clinic at the Jos University Teaching Hospital, north-central Nigeria, from June 2017 to November 2017. Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study that employed a systematic sampling method to select 301 eligible subjects. We used the Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS) 10 and World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule version 2.0 (WHODAS 2.00) to assess medication adherence and levels of disability. Results: The results show that 39.9% of the respondents were medication nonadherent. Medication adherence correlated negatively with the total disability score and all the domains of disability. A low level of education and poor social support were significant predictors of non-adherence. Conclusion: Medication non-adherence and its associated factors, if identified early and proper interventions instituted, a disability could be avoided or minimized among people with Schizophrenia. Therefore, we recommend regular screening of patients with mental disorders for early identification and intervention for medication adherence.