Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Medication Adherence Amongst Diabetic Patients in a Tertiary Healthcare Institution in Central Nigeria

Fatima Iyabo Abdulazeez¹, Moses Omole², Sheriff Lekan Ojulari³

¹Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, University of Ilorin, Ilorin; ²Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Administration, University of Ibadan, Ibadan; ³Department of Physiology, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.

For correspondence:- Sheriff Ojulari Email: ojularis@yahoo.com Tel:+2348032429067

Received: 8 September 2013 Accepted: 22 March 2014 Published: 26 June 2014

Citation: Abdulazeez FI, Omole M, Ojulari SL. Medication Adherence Amongst Diabetic Patients in a Tertiary Healthcare Institution in Central Nigeria. Trop J Pharm Res 2014; 13(6):997-1001 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v13i6.25

© 2014 The authors.
This is an Open Access article that uses a funding model which does not charge readers or their institutions for access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0) and the Budapest Open Access Initiative (http://www.budapestopenaccessinitiative.org/read), which permit unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited..

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the degree of diabetic patients’ compliance with their prescribed medications, factors responsible for non-compliance and how compliance can be enhanced.

Methods: The study involved 220 diabetic patients on anti-diabetic medication (insulin, metformin and gliclazide) visiting the out-patient clinic of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria, who met specific criteria. Questionnaires and patient interviews were used to gather information.

Results: A total of 162 patients (73.64 %) of the patients were non-compliant with medications; 22 of the compliant patients were males while 36 were females. Twenty three of the compliant patients had no formal education unlike the rest. There was significant association (p < 0.05) between patients’ financial status and compliance. However, there was no significant association (p > 0.05) between number of prescribed medications, side effects, patients’ level of education, patients’ belief of efficacy of medication and compliance.

Conclusion: A very high level of non-compliance to anti-diabetic medication has been observed in the facility studied. Institution of policies that will enhance compliance in these facilities and others in Nigeria is highly recommended.

Keywords: Compliance, Adherence, Diabetic, Medication, Prescription