Adherence to Multi-Drug Therapy among Patients Diagnosed with Leprosy at the Qua Iboe Church Leprosy Hospital, Ekpene Obom, Southern Nigeria

Abstract

Leprosy is a special public health problem because of its potential for social consequences and permanent disabilities. The multidrug therapy has been efficacious in the treatment of leprosy, including prevention of disability when initiated early. However, adherence rates to the MDT have been below expectations in Nigeria. The objective of this study was to determine the factors influencing MDT adherence in Qua Iboe Church leprosy Hospital, Southern Nigeria. This was a cross sectional study carried out among 83 patients diagnosed with leprosy within the past two years and taking MDT medication recruited from Qua Iboe Church Leprosy Hospital, Ekpene Obom. The 8-Item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) was used to measure adherence. Influencing factors were categorized under personal, condition-related, health system and drug-related factors. The study showed a gourmet adherence rate of 10.8 per cent. Waiting time greater than 3 hours was negatively correlated with good MDT adherence and this was statistically significant. (p<0.05).Improvements in MDT adherence can be achieved by optimizing personal factors, reducing health system barriers and responsive management of adverse drug reaction