Evaluating compliance to stimulants in adults with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder

Kılıç Ö., Boylu M. E.

12. Uluslararası Psikofarmakoloji Kongresi, Antalya, Türkiye, 17 - 20 Kasım 2021, ss.119-120, (Özet Bildiri)

  • Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Özet Bildiri
  • Basıldığı Şehir: Antalya
  • Basıldığı Ülke: Türkiye
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.119-120
  • Bezmiâlem Vakıf Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Objective: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has several negative psychosocial outcomes including poor work performance, academic failure, problems in social relationships, and criminality. However, it is among the most treatable mental disorders given the safety and efficacy of stimulants. We aimed to explore compliance levels to methylphenidate and associated sociodemographic factors in adults with ADHD.

 

Methods: Patients with ADHD who have been following up in a single-center outpatient psychiatry clinic of a university hospital were included in the study. Diagnoses were established according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition (DSM-5) during a face-to-face clinical interview. Sociodemographic data form and Morisky medication adherence scale were utilized.

 

Results: Among 64 patients (36 males, 28 females)  (mean age ± SD = 25.2 ± 6.8) with ADHD, 19 (29.7 %) and 29 (45.3%) patients showed high and medium adherence to methylphenidate respectively. However, 16 (25 %) had low adherence. Men and women did not significantly differ in compliance levels to stimulants (X2 (2) = 1.639, p = 0.441). Compliance was not found to be related to education, marital and economic status, living conditions, smoking. The number of patients who consume alcohol tends to be higher in the low adherent group although not reaching statistical significance.

 

Discussion: One-fourth of adult patients with ADHD had low adherence to methylphenidate. Men and women did not differ in adherence levels. No significant difference has been observed in the mean ages between the three adherence groups. Our results were in line with some earlier studies on treatment adherence in ADHD but not with others that showed adherence was higher in females and younger patients. The reason for these discrepancies could be that the studies with contrary results have recruited both children and adolescents.  Longitudinal multicenter studies are needed to draw conclusions on the factors affecting compliance in ADHD.

 

Keywords: attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, drugs/medication, pharmacology, treatment compliance, treatment adherence, demographic