Adherence to medication among chronic patients in Middle Eastern countries: review of studies

This paper reviewed studies that have investigated adherence to medication among patients with chronic conditions in Middle Eastern countries. A comprehensive literature search yielded 19 relevant studies. These focused on the extent and predictors of nonadherence to medication across different conditions, including hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, diabetes, depression, schizophrenia and epilepsy. Estimated rates of nonadherence to medication ranged from 1.4% to 88%. This review confirms the existence of nonadherence as a problem among patients with chronic diseases and examines our understanding about the reasons and variables affecting patients’ adherence to their medication in the Middle Eastern countries. However, the studies employed a wide range of methods, sometimes with limitations. Further work to determine the prevalence and causes of patients’ nonadherence to medication in Middle Eastern countries is needed in order to recommend the best interventions to improve adherence.