Factors Affecting Compliance To Treatment Among Children With Epilepsy Attending At A Paediatric Neurology Clinic Of A Tertiary Hospital In Enugu
Eze JN, Aguwa EN, Eke CB, Ibekwe R, Aronu AE, Ojinnaka NCAvailable online Oct 3, 2017.
[ Original ] Volume 26, Issue 2, 2017, Pages 104-111
Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine the factors affecting compliance to treatment among children with epilepsy in Enugu, Nigeria.
METHODS: Children with diagnosis of epilepsy were consecutively recruited. Their 6 months retrospective and 1 month prospective data were collected; and analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 (p < 0.05).
RESULTS: Fifty six children with epilepsy (mean age= 9.7 ± 4.1 years) were studied. Generalized tonic clonic epilepsy was noted in 41.1% (23/56) of them. Thirty six (64.3%) complied strictly with the treatment regimen. Polytherapy, high cost of drugs, multiple drug dosages and drug related side effects affected compliance. Majority (79.4%, 27/34) of patients on monotherapy and a few (27.2%, 6/22) on poly-therapy had good seizure control (p<0.001).
CONCLUSION: Poor drug compliance is a major constraint to adequate seizure control in children with epilepsy in our setting. Addressing the problem of poor compliance will enable them to achieve optimal seizure control.
Keywords
Epilepsy, Treatment Compliance, Associated Factors, Children,Subscribe to have full access to PDF format of all articles and get print copy of Nigerian Medical Journal.
