Medication Non-adherence and Associated Factors Among Patients with Mental Illness at St. Amanuel Specialized Psychiatric Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; A Cross Sectional Study

Abstract Introduction: Adherence is the degree to which patients follow health professionals’ recommendations regarding prescribed medication and maintain the indicated treatment. Medication non-adherence is a global problem worldwide. Medication non-adherence is a significant clinical concern in patients with mental illnesses than other chronic illness patients. Objectives To assess medication non-adherence and associated factor among patients with mental illness who visited St. Amanuel Specialized Psychiatric Hospital, Addis Ababa. Methods Institution-based cross-sectional study design was employed at St. Amanuel Specialized Psychiatric Hospital, Ethiopia from August 20, 2022 to September 30, 2022. The data was collected by interviewer administered structured questionnaire and document review. Medication non-adherence was assessed by using standardized Morisky medication adherence scale. The collected data was entered into EPI data version 4.5 and exported to SPSS version 26 for statistical analysis. After descriptive data was presented; Binary logistic regression was used to assess association. The significance level was set at P < 0.05 and Odds ratio was used to assess the strength of association. Result A total of 374 patients were included, of this 32.6% were found to have poor adherence. The predictors of poor adherence were male sex [AOR = 1.841, 95% CI; 1.136–2.984, p = 0.013], substance use [AOR = 2.088, 95% CI; 1.222–3.569, p = 0.008], unemployment [AOR = 2.593, 95% CI; 1.446–4.649, p = 0.021], perceived spiritual causation [AOR = 1.743, 95% CI; 1.026–2.959 p = 040], poor level of support [AOR = 3.277, 95% CI; 1.432–7.496, p = 0.005]. Conclusion The magnitude of medication non-adherence was found to be high. Male sex, unemployment, substance use, perceived, and poor level of support were significant predictors of medication non-adherence among patients with mental illness.