Independent predictors of medication adherence among Singaporean patients following an ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack

Objectives To investigate the independent predictors of medication adherence among Singaporean patients following an ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack. Background Secondary prevention of stroke includes optimal control over modifiable risk factors, and medication adherence is important in controlling the effect of co-morbidities. However, there is a paucity of published literature on the topics of medication adherence among stroke patients, especially in the Asian population. Design A cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational study. Methods One hundred twenty-one patients with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack were recruited from a tertiary hospital in Singapore. Data collection included the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8 (MMAS-8), General Self-Efficacy Survey (GSES), and Medical Outcome Study Social Support Survey. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to evaluate predictors of medication adherence, measured by MMAS-8. Results The mean score of the MMAS-8 was 5.07 (SD = 2.20, range 0–8), and more than 80% of the participants had low (n = 65, 53.7%) or medium (n = 34, 28.1%) levels of medication adherence. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that two factors, namely ‘understanding the benefits of medications’ (β = 0.238, p = 0.010) and ‘having suffered from stroke twice or more’ (β = 0.235, p = 0.014), were identified as independent predictors of medication adherence in stroke patients while the other variables were adjusted. These two factors accounted for 12.4% of the variance. Conclusion Medication adherence was poor in Singaporean patients following an ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack. The independent predictors identified in this study will support healthcare professionals to develop tailored intervention to improve medication adherence among this group of patients. Relevance to clinical practice Nurses play an important role in promoting patients’ medication adherence. Helping stroke patients understand the long-term benefits of their medications is essential to enhance patients’ medication adherence and results in better health outcomes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.