(225) Medication Related Problems Among Adult Diabetic Outpatients at a National Referral Hospital in Kenya

Sunday, August 28, 2022

8:00 AM – 1:45 PM CEST

Location: Hall C

Publication Number: 1270

Presenting Author(s)

Sylvia Atisa Opanga, PhD
– Dr, University of Nairobi, Department of Pharmacy University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya

Co-Author(s)

Mary A. Mundia
– Pharmacoepidemiologist, University of Nairobi, School of Pharmacy, Nairobi, Nairobi Area, Kenya
Eric M. Guantai
– Senior Lecturer, Pharmacology, University of Nairobi, School of Pharmacy, Nairobi, Nairobi Area, Kenya
Dorothy Aywak
– Head of Pharmacovigilance and Drug Information, Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Nairobi Area, Kenya

Background: Medication-related problems are on the rise among diabetics and anti-diabetic drugs are associated with many discrepancies. Risk factors for medication related problems among diabetics include multiple comorbidities, old age, polypharmacy, and seeking care from multiple health care professionals.

Objectives: The study sought to examine the prevalence, characteristics and risk factors of medication-related problems among adult diabetic outpatients at Kenyatta National Hospital.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to identify prevalence and characteristics of drug-related problems and the data was collected in a period of two months. Adult diabetic outpatients were consecutively sampled and data collected from them using questionnaires. Data was analyzed using STATA version 13. Medication-related problems identified were classified according to Hepler-Strand stratification and multivariable logistic regression used to investigate associations between them and covariates in the data.

Results: 235 (83.9%) of the respondents had at least one medication-related problem. Non-adherence was the most common medication-related problem (203, 72%), with 118(42.1%) citing costly drugs and 85(30.4%) forgetting to take drugs. The findings also showed that 61 (21.8%) of the respondents had drug safety-related problems, 82 (29.3%) had drug effectiveness problems, and 27(9.6%) identified conditions not treated as drug indication problems. Patients above 50 years were 2.4 times likely to have a medication related problem, (AOR =2.4, 95%CI, 1.1, 3.9, p = 0.023), with those taking 5 or more drugs 1.3 times likely of having a medication related problem, (AOR =1.3, 95%CI, 0.5 2.5, p < 0.001).

Conclusions: The prevalence of medication-related problems was high at 84%, with most patients being non-adherent to medication. Strategies to improve adherence such as insurance cover and patient education should be employed. Drug use reviews should be carried out to reduce polypharmacy