Open AccessFACTORS LEADING TO POOR ADHERENCE TO SECONDARY PROPHYLAXIS OF RHEUMATIC FEVER
Author(s) -
Romana Awan,
Muhammad Faisal,
Muhammad Asad Bilal Awan,
Samra Khan,
Kanwal Fatima,
Khawaja M Aarij,
Tahir Saghir,
Musa Karim
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
pakistan heart journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2227-9199
pISSN - 0048-2706
DOI - 10.47144/phj.v54i2.2094
Subject(s) - medicine , secondary prophylaxis , cross sectional study , rheumatic fever , pediatrics , heart disease , tertiary care , pathology
Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the level of adherence and possible barriers to secondary prophylaxis among patients with Rheumatic heart disease (RHD).
Methodology: It is a cross-sectional study conducted at the largest tertiary care cardiac center of Karachi, Pakistan. We included patients with RHD, based on transthoracic echocardiography and adherence to the secondary prophylaxis and possible barriers were assessed using a structured questionnaire.
Results: Among total of 195 patients 66.7% (130) were female, mean age was 32.25 ± 13.78 years. Rural residents were 51.3% (100) and 59.5% (116) of the patients were illiterate. Benzathine Penicillin injection was prescribed to 56.4% (110) patients, out of them 70.0% (77) of the patients were counseled regarding duration of secondary prophylaxis. The most common reason for non-adherence was reported to be a painful injection (19.1%).
Conclusion: Majority of the RHD patients are not being prescribed and effectively counseled regarding secondary prophylaxis. Low adherence to the secondary prophylaxis was observed and the common reasons for non-adherence were painful injection, non-availability of nearby health facility, friends/family advising them otherwise, allergic reaction, and patients feeling sick and unable to take injection.