Prevalence, Barriers, and Interventions related to Medication Adherence
Among Patients Diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder: A Scoping
Review
Abstract
Background: Adherence to psychotropic medication is still a concern to
health care systems, mental healthcare professionals, researchers, and
patients, as well. Recent literature on medication adherence increased
focusing on the pervasiveness and significant impacts of adherence to
medications. Purpose: The purpose of this scoping review is to identify
the prevalence, contributing factors, methods of measurement, and
interventions related to medication adherence among patients diagnosed
with Major Depressive Disorders (MDD). Methods: Preferred Reporting
Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping
Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guideline was used. The scoping review involves the
review, analysis, and synthesis of a broad scope of literature. Results:
A total of 36 articles met the inclusion criteria for this scoping
review. The prevalence of medication adherence among patients diagnosed
with MDD ranged from 10.6% to 85.4%. About 67% of studies used
self-reports as methods of data collection. Illness-related factors
(e.g., the onset of the illness, duration of illness, symptoms, and
illness severity), medication-related factors (e.g., adverse reactions,
duration of treatment, cost of treatment), and patient-related factors
(e.g., beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, self-stigma) were the most
reported factors to associate with medications adherence. Also, the
multi-faceted intervention has been recommended over a single-element
intervention to enhance medication adherence. Conclusion: There is a
need to select and integrate good assessment measures of medication
adherence, which lead to providing better evidence on the outcomes, risk
factors, and interventions to improve medication adherence.