PREVALENCE AND PREDICTORS OF MEDICATION ADHERENCE AMONG PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA IN MAIDUGURI, NORTHEASTERN NIGERIA.

INTRODUCTION: Non-adherence to antipsychotic medication is a key factor to poor treatment outcome, frequent relapse, poor quality of life and increased economic burden of mental illness.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and associated factors of medication adherence among patients with schizophrenia on antipsychotic medications.

METHODOLOGY: Through a cross-sectional survey, two hundred and nine patients with schizophrenia on antipsychotic medications were recruited through a systematic random sampling to participate in the study. Data were collected using the Socio-demographic Questionnaire, Medication Adherence Rating Scale and Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale. Frequencies and percentages were used to compute categorical variables. Associations of socio-clinical variables with medication adherence were analyzed using chi-square and variables with significant association were subjected to logistic regression analysis to determine the independent predictor of medication adherence.

RESULT: The prevalence of high, medium, and low medication adherence was 43.1%, 44%, and 12.9% respectively. Factors significantly associated with medication adherence at bivariate analysis were age (χ2=22.97; p=0.003), number of drugs (χ2=16.23; p=0.003), female gender (χ2=6.55; p=0.038), prolactin level ((χ2=14.93; p=0.021) and severity of illness (χ2=17.77; p=0.007). The independent predictors of high medication adherence were age (p=0.014), fewer number of drugs (p=0.006), and normal to mildly ill on PANSS scale (p=0.015).

CONCLUSION: Non-adherence to antipsychotic medication was found among 56.9% of patients with schizophrenia. The findings of this study call for a proactive psychosocial counselling approach for mental health consumers and their caregivers.