eRESEARCH IN THE DEGREE OF ADHERENCE BY ASTHMA PATIENTS – A PILOT STUDY

Introduction: Non-adherence to treatment is a global issue which in recent years has reached epidemic proportions. The WHO has reported that treatment adherence in chronic patients is 50% in developed countries on average. According to data from the Association of Bulgarians with Bronchial Asthma (ABBA) the percentage of asthma patients who are not regularly treated is the highest compared with other chronic diseases. Non-adherence to treatment not just influences the patient’s quality of life but increases the health care costs in society. Objectives: The aim of this study is to analyse the degree of adherence to prescribed treatment in asthma patients. Methods: An anonymous survey was made among 50 outpatients with asthma using an adapted survey card consisting of two parts: a questionnaire that collects information about the demographic profile of the patient (gender, age, educational background, etc) and a validated tool, the Morisky test, which is a questionnaire that defines the degree of treatment adherence. Results: The results from the Morisky test (Morisky coefficient 2.22) showed a mean degree of adherence both for the whole sample and for men and women separately, with a minimal difference of 0.01 in favour of men (Morisky coefficient 2.24 in men and 2.23 in women). Conclusions: The studied asthma patients show unsatisfactory adherence to the prescribed treatment. The mean degree of adherence reported in the study indicates the need for educating patients, monitoring and collaboration among doctors, patients, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals.