title: A Study Evaluating Adherence and Compliance of Anti-rheumatic Drugs in Women Suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Treatment of Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has always remained challenging, complex and associated with high level of non adherence, noncompliance in clinical practice.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the satisfaction/adherence/compliance rates of most commonly prescribed anti-rheumatic drugs among Indian women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional descriptive obser-vational study was undertaken to evaluate the adherence/compliance rates of most commonly prescribed anti-rheumatic drugs among women in a tertiary care teaching hospital in North India. Hundred women on anti rheumatic treatment for rheumatoid arthritis diagnosed by American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria were evaluated at one point analysis for adherence/compliance/satisfaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dissatisfaction rate with the anti rheumatic treatment was significantly high p<0.0001 among 68% of the women. Non compliance/ non adherence rate was also recorded very high among 52% and interrupted compliance rate was noticed among 6% of the women suffering from RA. Switch over rate to other treatment or doctors was also significantly (p<0.0001) very high among 66% of the women. Switch over to alternative treatment, treatment under quacks and intermittent self medication was recorded by 12%, 4% & 16% respectively. Among the self medication 12% of the women took corticosteroids and 4% preferred taking intermittent NSAIDs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment compliance is not very good with anti-rheumatic drugs among women patients of RA due to multi-factorial reasons.
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynalcology, Government Medical College , Jammu- J&K, India .
authors.forename: Sudhaa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Student, Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College , Jammu- J&K, India .
authors.lastname: Roshi
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College , Jammu- J&K, India .
authors.forename: Vishal R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Tandon
authors.affiliation: Professor and Head, Department of Medicine, Government Medical College , Jammu- J&K, India .
authors.forename: Annil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mahajan
keywords: Compliance; DMRDs; Women health