Anti-epileptic Drugs Adherence and Quality of Life among Epileptic Patients in Al Ahsa Region, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Epilepsy is defined as a chronic central nervous system disease characterised by a tendency to develop unprovoked seizures. The main aim of this study is to evaluate adherence to anti-seizure medications and their relationship with quality of life among epileptic patients. A cross-sectional survey-based design involving 23 patients diagnosed with epilepsy visiting the outpatient department to study the adherence to anti-epileptic medication and quality of life (QoL) among epileptic patients at Al-Moosa Specialist Hospital in Al-Ahsa region, Saudi Arabia. Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8 and QoL were used to assess the medical adherence and quality of life of patients. The study included 23 participants with having equal proportion of age among participants of participants. The overall adherence pattern observed among 91.3% of participants was statistically significant ( χ 2 = 15.696, P < 0.001). Regarding quality-of-life variables, a greater energetic feeling increased the odds of longer epilepsy duration (odds ratio [OR] =1.118; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.042–1.200; P = 0.002). Higher overall quality of life increased the odds (OR = 1.794; 95% CI, 1.511–2.128; P < 0.001), and better adherence to treatment (OR = 1.469; 95% CI, 1.101–1.961; P = 0.009). Conversely, higher seizure worry decreased the odds of prolonged epilepsy (OR = 0.477; 95% CI, 0.379–0.602; P < 0.001), and lower social function decreased the odds of longer epilepsy duration (OR = 0.959; 95% CI, 0.948–0.971; P < 0.001). This study observed very low medication adherence among participants, while higher adherence was observed to be associated with better emotional well-being and social functioning.