Medication Noncompliance among Patients with Chronic Diseases Attending a Primary Health Facility in a Periurban District in Ghana

Table 2

(a) Medication intake behaviour of patients ()

Characteristic	Frequency	Percent (%)
Number of medications taken for condition
One	25	12.5
Two	76	38.0
Three	43	21.5
Four	36	18.0
More than 4	20	10.0
Frequency of intake
Once daily	28	14.0
Twice daily	158	79.0
Thrice daily	14	7.0
Route of intak
Oral	197	86.8
Injection	30	13.2
Number of tablets taken if oral
Less than 5	110	55.8
Between 5 and 10	82	41.6
More than 10	5	2.6
Always admit to doctor’s instructions
Yes	89	44.5
No	111	55.5
Notification of side effects of drugs
Yes	66	33.0
No	134	67.0
Side effects mostly experience
Weakness	13	6.5
Insomnia	8	4.0
Dizziness	6	3.0
General malaise	6	3.0
Irritability	4	2.0
Lethargy	4	2.0
Oversleeping	4	2.0
N/	134	67.0
Able to tolerate side effects
Yes	40	20.0
No	26	13.0
N/	134	67.0

Multiple response; N/A = patients who indicated that they did not experience any side effects; predominant side effects experienced by patients.

(b) Medication intake behaviour of patients ()

Characteristic	Frequency	Percent (%)
Use of herbal medication
Yes	45	22.5
No	155	77.5
Influence of intake on medication compliance
Doesn’t influence it	17	8.5
Stop taking the prescribed medication	16	8.0
Take it alongside prescribed medication	12	8.0
N/	155	77.5
Difficulty in remembering medication instructions
Yes	13	6.5
No	187	93.5
Medication is effective
Yes	177	88.5
No	10	5.0
Sometimes	13	6.5
Frequency of forgetting to take medications
Daily	3	1.5
Frequently	28	14.0
Rarely	104	52.0
Never	65	32.5
Awareness of complications arising from non-compliance
Yes	116	58.0
No	84	42.0
Ways of being reminded to be compliant with medications
Doctor’s advice	5	2.5
Advice from other health workers	2	1.0
Radio or TV	1	.5
Friends or family	17	8.5
Self	175	87.5

N/A = patients who indicated that they did not use herbal medication.