Adherence to thyroid therapy and depressive status among patients with hypothyroidism in the northern of Jordan: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Hypothyroidism is a chronic and progressive medical condition that requires extreme adherence to medication in order to effectively manage the disease. The aim of this study was to examine patients’ adherence to their thyroid therapy and their depressive status and their associated predictors. This is a cross-sectional study that was conducted between April and June 2023 using a sample of chronic hypothyroidism patients visiting the Jordan University of Science and Technology Health Center in Irbid, along with the Family Medicine and Endocrine clinic at King Abdullah University Hospital. The 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-2 were used to examine patients’ adherence level and mental status. A total of 296 patients were involved in this study. Around 35.5% of the patients found to have high level of adherence. Around 27.4% of the patients demonstrated a low level of adherence. The mean PHQ-2 score for the study sample was 2.00 (SD: 1.7) out of 6. Using a cutoff point of 3, we identified that 29.7% of the patients are at risk of developing major depressive disorder. Patients aged 31 to 50 years and married patients were identified to have higher adherence level compared to other patients (P < .05). This study observed a notable low to moderate level of adherence among patients diagnosed with hypothyroidism in Jordan with regards to their prescribed therapeutic regimen. Furthermore, a significant part of the individuals had a susceptibility to the development of major depressive disorder.