Factors Associated with Medication Adherence among Glaucoma Patients in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

Purpose: Managing glaucoma, the leading cause of irreversible blindness, entails the daily use of eye drops; and non-adherence to medication regimens is a problem in glaucoma management. This study assessed the predictors associated with medication adherence for glaucoma patients.

Methodology: A cross-sectional survey design was used. The study was conducted in 15 selected eye hospitals in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. A total of 126 glaucoma-consenting patients were interviewed using a questionnaire. Knowledge of glaucoma severity, medication adherence, and factors associated with medication adherence were measured. Data were analysed; descriptive and inferential statistics were done with the level of significance set at ≤ 0.05.

Findings: Most (95.2%) respondents had fair or good knowledge of glaucoma severity. However, only 32.5% of them adhered to their daily medication use. Knowledge was associated with education, occupation, and age, while medication adherence was associated with age and diagnosed period. The driving factors were the availability of social support, healthcare accessibility, communication, and patient education; medication reminders and follow-ups; glaucoma support groups; fear of blindness; and knowledge of glaucoma severity. The restraining factors were the cost of medication, life stress, glaucoma eyedrop side effects, multiple drug dosing, and efficacy in eyedrop self-administration.

Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: Notwithstanding knowledge, restraining factors are more influential than driving factors in predicting adherence to medication for glaucoma patients. Clinicians should always identify and pay attention to these factors associated with medication adherence (especially the restraining factors) when managing glaucoma patients in order to avoid blindness despite being on treatment.