ABSTRACT

Lonsame, Raymond A., Lofamia, Ruschelle F., Las Pinas, Lyndee B., Lotivio, Audrey M., Medication Compliance of Patients in the Medical Ward in Dr. Fernando B. Duran Sr. Memorial Hospital ( An undergraduate Thesis, Aquinas University of Legazpi College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Legazpi City, 2010-2011)

The study aimed to determine the medication compliance of patients confined in the medical ward of Dr. Fernando B. Duran Sr. Memorial Hospital . Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions: 1 ) What is the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of; a) age, b) gender, c) civil status, d) educational attainment, e) occupation; and, f) monthly family income?; 2) What is the extent of compliance to medications in terms of percentage of patients confined in the medical ward of DFBDSM?; 3) What are the problems encountered by the respondents in their compliance with medication in terms of: a) socio-economic aspect, b) psychological aspect, and c) educational aspect?; 4) What strategies/interventions may be recommended to enhance the patients' compliance with medication?

This study utilized the descriptive-survey method to determine the medication compliance of patients. A total of 32 patients constituted the respondents of the study. The compliance of the patients to medication were assessed and gathered using the questionnaires they answered. The data gathered were subjected to statistical analysis using the frequency, percentage and ranking. The following were the findings of the study: 1) Twenty eight point one percent or nine respondents belonged to the sixty-six to seventy-four year old age and three point one percent or only one of the respondents belonged to the 30-33 year old bracket; fifty six point two percent or eighteen of the respondents were male and forty three point eight percent or fourteen were female respondents; fourty point six percent or 13 were married, twenty eight point one percent or 9 were single, eighteen point eight percent or 6 were widow/widower; and, twelve point five percent or 4 were separated.

In terms of educational attainment, thirty one point one percent or 10 of the respondents were high school graduates; twenty five percent or 8 were college
undergraduates; fifteen point six percent or 5 were college graduates; twelve point five percent or 4 were elementary graduates; nine point four percent or 3 were high school undergraduates; and, six point three percent or 2 were elementary undergraduates. As to the respondent’s occupation, twenty point one percent or 7, the highest count or percentage, were vendors. On the other hand, the lowest count or percentage of three point one percent or 1 was a driver. The monthly income of below P5, 000.00 garnered fourty six point nine percent or 15 of the respondents; and, the monthly income of PI 5, 000 - P20, 000 with three point one percent or 1 respondent. II. The extent of compliance in terms of percentage was the following: 75.3 percent of the respondents have complied and 24.62 percent did not. The problems encountered were the following: a) socio-economic factor: high cost of medicines (86.15%); meager family income (78.46%), less government subsidy (61.54%), and non-coverage by health insurance (58.46%); b) psychological factor:
bitter and unpleasant taste (58.46%), forgetfulness/was not reminded (41.54%), and fear of possible side effects (24.62%); c) education: cultural influences (60%), lack of communication between the medical personnel and the client about side effects (47.69%), confused about the instruction (36.92%), and lesser responsibility given to the client (30.7%). The following were the conclusions drawn from the findings of the study: 1) The demographic profile showed that majority of the respondents were male, mostly elders from sixty-six to seventy-four years old, married and with a monthly income of five thousand and below; 2) The extent of compliance of the respondents in terms of percentage was high (75.3%); 3) The problems encountered by the respondents were socio-economically in nature, specifically the high cost of medicines; psychologically was the bitter/unpleasant taste of medications; in terms of educational level, was the cultural influences/beliefs about certain illness giving much credence to the “faithhealers” The strategies/interventions recommended to enhance the patient’s compliance with medications were the following: 1) Encourage all patients to have their own Philhealth card and for the elderly, a Senior Citizen’s card; b) Select treatments with lower incidence of side effects or fewer concerns for long-term use; c) Educate the
patients on the importance of adherening to medication; d) Encourage the patients to ask help from the local government unit; e) Discuss possible effects and whether it is important to continue medication regardless of those side effects; f) Encourage the clinicians, health care managers and policy makers to improve strategies for medication compliance; g) Provide educational information to the patient and the patient’s family about his/her condition and treatment, and h) Enhance communication between patients and the doctors as a key and an effective strategy in boosting the patient’s ability to
follow the medication regimen.