title: Medication adherence and its determinants among psychiatric patients in an Ethiopian referral hospital.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The degree to which an individual follows medical advice is a major concern in every medical specialty. Non-adherence to psychiatric treatment regimens has a profound impact on the disease course, relapse, future recovery, cost of health care, and the outcome for the patient. The aim of this study was to assess medication adherence and its correlates among psychiatric patients at Ayder Referral Hospital, Northern Ethiopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted from June to September 2013 at Ayder Referral Hospital, where 423 patients were selected by a systematic random sampling technique from all patients attending the psychiatric clinic at the hospital. Data were collected by trained data collectors through interview of the patients using a structured questionnaire. The collected data were entered into Epi Info version 7 and analyzed by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 16 software. Logistic regression was used to assess independent predictors of adherence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 387 patients completed the interview. Two hundred and sixteen (55.8%) and 113 (29.2%) were patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and mood disorder, respectively, while 35 (9%) and 23 (5.9%) had a diagnosis of drug addiction and autistic disorder. Two hundred and seven (71.6%) patients were found to be adherent to their medication. When adherence rates were observed according to type of disorder, 60 (53.1%), 24 (68.6%), 149 (69%), and 18 (78.3%) of patients with mood disorder, drug addiction, schizophrenia, and autism, respectively, were adherent to their medications. Female gender (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.34; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.45-3.74), tertiary education (AOR 2.69; 95% CI 1.46-4.85), living with family (AOR 2.57; 95% CI 1.66-4.58), and shorter treatment duration (AOR 1.82; 95% CI 1.21-2.84) were among the variables associated with better adherence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Suboptimal adherence was observed among psychiatric patients in this study. Health professionals in the psychiatric clinic and pharmacists need to focus on and counsel patients about adherence and its implications for their clinical outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Zaid
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Demoz
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Befikadu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Legesse
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Gebrehiwot
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Teklay
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Birhanu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Demeke
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, College of Public Health and Medical Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Tewodros
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eyob
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Zewdneh
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shewamene
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, College of Public Health and Medical Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Mubarek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abera
keywords: Ethiopia; medication adherence; psychiatric patients