RATES AND DETERMINANTS OF MEDICATION ADHERENCE IN PATIENTS WITH BIPOLAR AFFECTIVE DISORDER: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

OBJECTIVES: To find out rates of medication adherence in patients with bipolar affective disorder. To find out the impact of demographic factors, use of substances, and positive family history of bipolar affective disorders on medication adherence in patients with bipolar affective disorder. MATTERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 386 patients who were suffering from Bipolar Affective Disorder (BAD), were included through a convenient sampling technique from Government Sarhad Hospital for Psychiatric Diseases Peshawar. Data was collected through a self-prepared questionnaire. Odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated with the help of SPSS version 24, while using Chi square test and Logistic Regression Analysis. RESULTS: Among 386, 302 (78.2%) are males while 84 (21.8%) are females. Regarding education 164 (42.5%) were educated up to the primary level. Familial and sporadic cases were 138 (35.8%) and 248 (64.2%) respectively. Moreover, 232 (60.1%) had poor while 154 (39.9%) had good medication adherence. The frequencies of use of any substance, tobacco, and substance other than tobacco were 222 (57.5%), 214 (55.4%) and 114 (29.5%) respectively. There is a statistically significant impact of gender, education, positive family history of BAD, and use of any substance, tobacco, and substance other than tobacco on medication adherence. At the same time, marital status, age of onset of BAD, and current age have no statistically significant impact on medication adherence. CONCLUSION: Gender, education, positive family history of BAD, use of any substance, tobacco, and substances other than tobacco are statistically significant while marital status, age of onset of BAD, and current age have no significant impact on medication adherence in BAD. KEYWORDS: Substance use, Family history of BAD, Demographic factors, Medication adherence, Bipolar affective disorder.