Assessment of Adherence of COPD Patients to Respiratory drug Therapy in a Tertiary care Hospital in Mangalore.

 

Ms. Aida Chacko1, Dr. Larissa Martha Sams2

1MSc Nursing Student, Laxmi Memorial College of Nursing, Mangalore.

2Principal and H.O.D of Medical Surgical Nursing, Laxmi Memorial College of Nursing, Mangalore.

Corresponding Author Email: aidachacko30@gmail.com

 

ABSTRACT:

Background: COPD is currently the fifth-leading cause of global mortality and a major public health problem in both developed and developing countries. By the year 2020, COPD is expected to become the third-most-common cause of death in the world and the fifth-leading cause of disease burden. As with all chronic diseases, non-adherence in patients with COPD is common and contributes to adverse health outcomes, reduced quality of life and increased healthcare expenditures. The evidence base for adherence to therapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients is very thin. The limited data available suggest that, as in other chronic diseases, adherence is often poor, and this has a negative influence on outcomes. Objectives: To measure the adherence level of COPD patients to respiratory drug therapy. To find out the association of adherence of COPD patients with selected demographic variables. Method: The study design was descriptive survey design. The purposive sampling technique was used to draw 50 patients as samples. Data was collected by administering the medication adherence rating scale to assess the adherence. Results: The result shows that majority 40 (80%) of patients are non adherent to the respiratory drug therapy and only 10(20%) of patients are adherent to the drug therapy. there is no association between the adherence to respiratory therapy and the selected demographic variables like age, sex, education, diagnosed to have COPD since, habits and significant association between the occupation (χ2=18.889,p<0.05) and the adherence level of COPD patients to respiratory drug therapy.

Interpretation and conclusion: The findings of the study showed that majority of patients are non adherent to respiratory drug therapy.

 

KEYWORDS: Assessment, Adherence, Respiratory drug therapy.

 

 


INTRODUCTION:

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is currently the fifth-leading cause of global mortality and a major public health problem in both developed and developing countries. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major public health problem for both industrialized and developing countries. The prevalence of COPD is increasing worldwide, resulting in a substantial economic burden, including direct and indirect health-care costs. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), adherence to long-term therapies averages only 50% (WHO, 2003).

 

Patient adherence in chronic diseases can result in poor health outcomes and increased health-care expenditures (WHO, 2003). Discontinuation of COPD therapy contributes to increasing the frequency of exacerbations, the number of hospitalizations and the mortality rate.1

 

 According to the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, currently 210 million people have COPD and 3 million people died of COPD in 2005. The WHO predicts that COPD will become the fourth leading cause of death worldwide by 2030. The burden of COPD assessed by disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) ranks 10th worldwide (WHO 2008). Total deaths from COPD are projected to increase by more than 30% in the next 10 years unless urgent preventive measures are in place (COPD 2007).2

 

In 2010, almost 24 million adults over the age of 40 in India had COPD. Data monitor expects this number to increase 34% to approximately 32 million by 2020. COPD is predominately a disease of men and only 40% of cases in India occur in women. The number of men with COPD in 2010 (approximately 14.11 million) was one and a half times the number of women with COPD in 2010 (approximately 9.57 million); this pattern will continue through 2020.3

 

COPD patients have been found to be non adherent with their treatment recommendations both intentionally and unintentionally. Poor adherence to drug therapy and disease management programs has been identified as the major factor resulting in emergency hospitalization among COPD patients.4

 

Levels of adherence to prescribed treatment in COPD are correspondingly low. As with all chronic diseases, non-adherence in patients with COPD is common and contributes to adverse health outcomes, reduced quality of life and increased healthcare expenditures.  The evidence base for adherence to therapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients is very thin. The limited data available suggest that, as in other chronic diseases, adherence is often poor, and this has a negative influence on outcomes. Poor adherence in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients seems to be influenced more by patient beliefs and coping behavior than by demographical factors or disease severity.5

 

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Objectives:

1.        To measure the adherence level of COPD patients to respiratory drug therapy

2.        To find out the association of adherence of COPD patients with selected demographic variables.

 

Hypotheses:

H1:    There will be significant association between the adherence to respiratory drug therapy and selected demographic variables.

 

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:

Research design:

The study was carried out using descriptive research design

Setting of the Study

The study was conducted in 750 bedded A.J Hospital and Research centre at Mangalore.

Sample: By using consecutive sampling technique 50 patients were selected.

Ethical clearance: Ethical clearance has been obtained from A. J .ethics committee. 

Data collection tools: Based on the objectives, baseline proforma and medication adherence rating scale were prepared and administered to the patients in selected hospital in Mangalore. The reliability of the tool was established by administering the tool (English and Kannada) to 10 (5 each respectively) COPD patients in tertiary hospitals at Mangalore. The coefficient of internal consistency of the rating scale was calculated using Spearman’s Rank correlation reliability test method. The reliability of the scale was 0.9 for the English and Kannada tool.

 

Method of Data Collection

Prior to the data collection permission was obtained from the concerned authority of the organization for conducting the study. Subjects were selected according to the selection criteria and confidentiality was assured. Written consent was obtained from the subjects. Subjects were assigned through consecutive sampling technique and the data was obtained using medication adherence rating scale.

 

RESULTS:

Table 1: Frequency and percentage distribution of subjects according to their demographic variables.

Sl

No

Variables

Frequency (f)

Percentage (%)

1

Age ( in years)

 

 

 

25-35

0

0

 

36-45

1

2

 

46-55

20

40

 

>55 years

29

58

2

Sex

 

 

 

Male

40

80

 

female

10

20

3

Education

 

 

 

Pre university

12

24

 

Diploma

16

32

 

Graduate

6

12

 

Post graduate

0

0

 

Illiterate

16

32

4

Occupation

 

 

 

Private employee

10

20

 

Govt. employee

2

4

 

Self employed

35

70

 

unemployed

3

6

5

Diagnosed to have COPD since

 

 

 

<1year

9

18

 

1-3years

23

46

 

4-5years

15

30

 

>5years

3

6

6

Habits

 

 

 

Smoking

41

82

 

Alcoholism

0

0

 

Tobacco chewing

6

12

 

All the above

0

0

 

None of the above

3

6

 

Table 2:Frequency, percentage distribution on adherence of COPD patients to respiratory drug therapy.             N=50

Adherence level

Range

Frequency(F)

Percentage (%)

Non adherent

0-5

40

80

Adherent

6-10

10

20

 


 

Figure 1: Cone diagram representing the percentage distribution of COPD patients adherence to respiratory drug therapy.

 

Table 3:Range, Mean, Median, Standard Deviation and Mean percentage of adherence to respiratory drug therapy among COPD patients.                   N=50

Obtained Range

Maximum Score

Mean

Median

SD

Mean Percentage

2-7

 7

4.22

4

1.404

0.006

 

Table 4: Chi-Square test showing association of adherence level with selected demographic variables

Sl. No

Demographic Variables

χ2

df

Table Value

Inference

1.

Age (in years)

0.335

2

5.991

 Not significant

2.

Sex

0.765

1

3.841

 Not significant

3.

Education

0.637

3

7.815

Not Significant

4.

Occupation

18.889

3

7.815

Significant

5.

Diagnosed to have COPD since

0.47

3

7.815

Not significant

6.

Habits

1.436

2

5.991

Not significant

 

 


DISCUSSION:

Majority of patients 29(58%) belongs to the above 55 years of age group and least percentage 2% belongs to the age group of 36-45 years. Majority 40(80%) are males and least percentage 20% are females. Most of the patients are illiterate 16(32%) and diploma holders 16(32%) and least percentage of patients are graduate 6 (12%). Majority 35(70%)of the patients are self employed and least percentage 2(4%) are government employees. Highest percentage 23(43%) are diagnosed to have COPD since 1-3 years and least participants are diagnosed to have COPD above 5 years. Most of the participants 41(82%) are smokers and least 3(6%) of the participants do not have any habits.

 

Majority 40 (80%) of patients are non adherent to the respiratory drug therapy and only 10(20%) of patients are adherent to the drug therapy.

 

The present study shows that there is no association between the adherence to respiratory therapy and the selected demographic variables like age, sex, education, diagnosed to have COPD since, habits and significant association between the occupation (χ2=18.889,p<0.05) and the adherence level of COPD patients to respiratory drug therapy.

 

REFERENCE:

1.        Tamas Agh and Agnes Meszaros; Adherence to Therapy inChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease – Current Concepts and Practice

2.        D R Ruben, T A Melissa, D W Leonard et al; Medication adherence issues in patients treated for COPD; International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; . 2008 September; 3(3): 371–384.

3.        S K Jindal; COPD: The unrecognized epidemic in India; Journal of the association of the physician of India; Vol: 60, Feb 2012.

4.        J BourbeauS J Bartlett; Patient adherence in COPD; Thorax 2008;63:831-838 

5.        L Laforest, F Denis et al; Correlates of adherence to respiratory drug therapy in COPD patients; Primary Care Respiratory Journal. 2010 Jun;19(2):148-54.

 

 

Received on 16.08.2014          Modified on 08.09.2014

Accepted on 24.09.2014          © A&V Publication all right reserved

Asian J. Nur. Edu. and Research 5(1): Jan.-March 2015; Page 35-37

DOI: 10.5958/2349-2996.2015.00008.7