Reasons for Poor Medication Adherence in Patients with Depression

Background: Depression is one among the disorders that have always been targeted by researchers in India. In South India the prevalence is 15.1%. Large number of studies has been published from India revealing various aspects of this commonly prevalent disorder, but there is limited evidence for the non-adherence to anti depressants in India. Aim: To assess the reasons contributing for non adherence in patients with depression. Method: This is a prospective, observational study, conducted in a tertiary care teaching hospital, Guntur. Medication adherence was assessed using the eight-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) and a self administered questionnaire during the period of 1st February 2015 to 31st July 2015(i.e. 6months). Results: A total of 60 patients met the inclusion criteria; 68.3% are females and 31.6% are males. Among those, 3 (5%) are highly adherent, 17 (28.33%) are moderately adherent and 40 (66.67%) are poorly adherent. Conclusion: The overall Non adherence rate is found to be high in the study. The results presented suggest that pharmacist instructions may improve adherence in depression. Clinical pharmacist in this regard has a major role to play in uplifting and improving the quality of life of the patient.