KUMJ | VOL. 14 | NO. 1 | ISSUE 53 | JAN-MAR, 2016
Medication Adherence Pattern and Factors affecting Adherence in Helicobacter Pylori Eradication Therapy
Shakya Shrestha S, Bhandari M, Thapa SR, Shrestha R, Poudyal R, Purbey B, Gurung RB
Abstract: Background
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is the most common chronic bacterial
infection worldwide affecting approximately half of the world’s population. A number
of screening tests as well as complex multi-drug therapies are available for the
detection and treatment of H. pylori infection. However, the optimum eradication
rates of H. pylori infection can only be achieved if adherence to drug therapy is
higher. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to determine the factors leading to poor
adherence to obtain successful treatment outcomes.
Objective
To determine the medication adherence pattern in patients with H. pylori infection
and assess the factors associated with non-adherence to the prescribed drug therapy.
Method
Patients meeting the inclusion criteria who were confirmed as H. pylori positive by
rapid urease test (histopathology) and/ or stool antigen test and those under H. pylori
eradication therapy were considered. Informed consent was taken from the patients
or from the patient party in incapacitated patients. They were then interviewed using
structured questionnaire. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 20 and a
p-value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.
Result
Among the 70 participants included in this study, 57.10% (n=40) of them were
males. The mean (±SD) age of the patients was 42.36 years (±17.93). Higher number
(85.70% (n=60)) of the patients were adherent to the recommended medication.
Forgetfulness was the reason for missing dose in a majority (80% (n=8)) of the nonadherent
patients. A highly significant association (p<0.05) was observed between
adherence and absence of symptomatic relief. However, there was no statistically
significant association (p>0.05) between patients’ adherence to gender, age, literacy,
and the prescribed treatment regimen.
Conclusion
Majority of the patients with H. pylori infection were adherent to medication.
Forgetfulness was the major reason for missing dose in the non-adherent patients.
Keyword : Adherence, Helicobacter pylori, H. pylori eradication therapy