title: Adherence to treatment and influencing factors in a sample of Chinese epilepsy patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess adherence to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and factors associated with non-adherence in a sample of Chinese patients with epilepsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out on patients who had no change in treatment regimen over the last six months. Data on adherence to medication and related factors for each patient were gathered using a questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of a total of 368 patients studied, 48.1% of patients were non-adherent with regards to AEDs. There were no demographic differences (based on gender, age, seizure type, and rural or urban location) between adherent and non-adherent patients. Adherence was positively and significantly correlated with duration of illness (p=0.007). The primary reason for non-adherence was forgetfulness or not having medication on hand (69.6%), followed by a negative attitude (12.8%), a bad patient-prescriber relationship (9.5%), side effects (5.4%), inability to buy drugs (1.9%), and other reasons (0.8%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The non-adherence of epilepsy patients is common in China. Targeted management programs and communication strategies are necessary to improve adherence to AED treatments in patients with epilepsy and avoid the clinical consequences of poor adherence.
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Bayi Brain Hospital, The Military General Hospital of Beijing People's Liberation Army.
authors.forename: Jianming
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhiliang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D044466:Asian People; D001290:Attitude; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016527:Drug Costs; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010361:Patients; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010820:Physicians; D010865:Pilot Projects; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants