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. 2022 May 6:16:1187-1200.
doi: 10.2147/PPA.S355891. eCollection 2022.

Medication Adherence Among Patients with Multimorbidity in the United Arab Emirates

Kholoud K Allaham  1 , Merga Belina Feyasa  2 , Romona Devi Govender  1 , Anas Mahmoud Abbas Musa  3 , Ahmed Juma AlKaabi  1 , Iffat ElBarazi  4 , Shamma Dahi AlSheryani  1   5 , Reem Juma Al Falasi  1   5 , Moien A B Khan  1   5   6
Affiliations

Medication Adherence Among Patients with Multimorbidity in the United Arab Emirates

Kholoud K Allaham et al. Patient Prefer Adherence. .

Abstract

Background: Multimorbidity, defined as having two or more chronic diseases, has a major impact on public health and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). This study aims to assess the prevalence of medication adherence and associated factors among patients with multimorbidity.

Methods: A questionnaire-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted by a trained interviewer across patients with multimorbidity attending outpatient clinics in two tertiary referral hospitals in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Demographic and social variables and the outcome (self-reported adherence to long-term medication) were measured using the General Medication Adherence Scale (GMAS). Multiple logistic regression was used to assess medication adherence and associated factors.

Results: From a total of 630 participants included in this study, the estimated prevalence of high medication adherence is 78.57% (±1.63478) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) [75.19, 81.61]. The odds of high medication adherence increased with age. The odds of high medication adherence for patients aged 66 years and older than those aged 19-35 years is adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 3.880, with a 95% CI [1.124, 13.390]. Patients with income more than 50,000 had the odds, AOR = 5.169 with a 95% CI [1.282, 20.843], compared to those earning less than 10,000 Dirhams (AED). Patients aged 36-65 with health insurance coverage had higher medication adherence than groups on the other end. The number of current medications is significantly (p-value = 0.027) associated with high medication adherence with the odds of high medication adherence, AOR = 4.529 with a 95% CI [1.184, 17.326], the highest for those currently taking four medications.

Conclusion: This study highlights younger population having multimorbidity in the context of an increasing life expectancy and suboptimal therapeutic outcomes. Furthermore, the study highlights multimorbidity is associated with low medication adherence and out-of-pocket payment, and non-availability of insurance is a major hindrance to medication adherence.

Keywords: United Arab Emirates; global burden of disease; medication adherence; multimorbidity; sustainable development goals.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest for this work and declare that there are no financial and commercial conflicts of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of this study.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Median number of current medications by gender, age, and medication adherence.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Percentage of medication adherence by insurance coverage and age categories.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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