Patients’ adherence to antimalarial medication; self-report of patients at the Volta regional hospital of Ho, Ghana

Abstract

Background: Despite the advancement in malaria treatments and management; malaria morbidity and mortality is still on the increase. This phenomenon has been mostly attributed to the emergence and transmission resistance of the plasmodium parasite to drugs; which is as a result of non-adherence to anti-malaria medication. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess patients’ adherence to anti-malarial medications and the factors influencing their adherence in the Volta regional hospital.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was employed. Convenience sampling technique was used in recruiting respondents. Data were collected within a period of 8 weeks from April to May 2017. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in the form of frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviations which was generated by the use of IBM statistical package for social sciences version 23.Results: The average age of respondents surveyed for this study was 32.27±11.09 ranging from of 19 to 68 years. Majority (51.7%) of respondents were females and 76.7% of them being Christians. The study findings revealed that 36.6% of patient were completely adherent to anti-malarial medication. Over 90% of respondents agreed that the malarial medication had bad taste and it was an unpleasant feeling for them taking it.Conclusions: Poor adherence to antimalaria medications could play a role in the future development of drug resistance. As such, identifying ways to improve anti-malarial compliance will help mitigate drug resistance. Therefore, further studies should be carried out on ways to improve patients’ adherence to antimalarial medication.

Patients’ Knowledge of Artemisinin-Based Combination Therapy Treatment and Its Impact on Patient Adherence

“…Also, some of the studies were conducted using children to assess their adherence level [ 24 , 30 ]. One can therefore stipulate that whereas children can be monitored by their parents to ensure strict adherence to antimalarial medication, contributing to higher adherence level, adults might not strictly adhere to treatment due to schedules and other related factors [ 21 ]. The current study found the educational status of respondents to be statistically related to patients' adherence to ACT with p value of 0.003.…”

“…Deportee et al and Fogg et al defined adherent patients as those who reported having taken the treatment as recommended (regarding timing and dosage) with no tablets remaining [ 9 , 10 ]. Several studies have reported patient adherence to ACT across Africa [ 9 – 21 ], but adherence levels varied from less than 30% for ACT in Kenya [ 22 ] up to 100% adherence to ACT in Malawi [ 23 ]. A recent study by Afaya et al reported an adherence level of ACT by patients in the Volta Regional Hospital, Ghana, to be 36.6% [ 21 ].…”

“…Several studies have reported patient adherence to ACT across Africa [ 9 – 21 ], but adherence levels varied from less than 30% for ACT in Kenya [ 22 ] up to 100% adherence to ACT in Malawi [ 23 ]. A recent study by Afaya et al reported an adherence level of ACT by patients in the Volta Regional Hospital, Ghana, to be 36.6% [ 21 ]. In their study, adherence level was measured by patients reporting of completing the treatment course of antimalarial medication (ACT) by themselves [ 21 ].…”

“…A recent study by Afaya et al reported an adherence level of ACT by patients in the Volta Regional Hospital, Ghana, to be 36.6% [ 21 ]. In their study, adherence level was measured by patients reporting of completing the treatment course of antimalarial medication (ACT) by themselves [ 21 ]. Nonadherence to ACT was attributed to several factors such as the cost of ACT, forgetfulness to take ACT, dislike for medications [ 11 , 21 ], not improving patient's condition and discontinued medication [ 14 ], and improved patient's condition and discontinued medication [ 17 , 24 ].…”

“…Though several studies have been done on patient adherence to antimalarial medication (ACT) and associated factors to nonadherence [ 19 , 21 , 25 – 27 ], patients' knowledge of ACT (which is key to treatment compliance in malaria) is limited. Patients' understanding of their conditions and treatment is positively related to adherence [ 28 ].…”