Medication-taking behavior and drug self regulation in people with epilepsy.
OBJECTIVE
To study the most important characteristics of antiepileptic drug (AED) taking behavior in epileptic people.


METHODS
In a cross-sectional study, 45 consecutively seen patients answered a standardized questionnaire including questions about drug intake behavior.


RESULTS
Both genders were equally represented (22M x 23F). The mean age was 30.2 years. No specific characteristic were presented in all patients. The self-reported non-use of the drug at any moment one week before (self-reported non-adherence) was 40.0%. Patients took the drug more than once in most cases (75.0%), and the only precipitating factor of seizures more frequently avoided was alcohol intake (66.7%). Forty-four percent said to be afraid of becoming addicted to the medicine, 61.4% reduced or stopped the medicine just to see what would happen, and 47.7% changed the prescription with the same purpose. There is no relationship among socio-demographic, behavior aspects or treatment characteristics, and self-reported non-adherence.


CONCLUSIONS
Several patient's aspects do not seem to be strongly correlated with self-reported adherence. Nevertheless, drug self-regulation is probably related to the drug-intake behavior, and it is important for the physician to understand this parallel influence on treatment for a more realistic approach.
Gomes
M da M
Mda M
Epilepsy Program, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
Maia Filho
H de S
Hde S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001519:Behavior; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012651:Self Medication / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D000927:Anticonvulsants