A Heath Intervention to Improve Medication Adherence in Patients with Epilepsy

Abstract

**Please note that the full text is embargoed** ABSTRACT: Background: Epilepsy is a chronic disease and it is estimated that between 30% and 60% patients are non-adherent with their antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) therapy. This project aimed to assess if health education improves medication adherence in patients with epilepsy. Methods: This quality improvement (QI) project used a pre-test and post-test study design, 25 participants were recruited with epilepsy from the Epilepsy Foundation in Houston, Texas using the convenience sampling method. Data were gathered using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8). 3 Results: The findings revealed statistically significant differences in the pretest and posttest score distributions. The distribution of MMAS-8 scores in the epilepsy education group during the posttest period was significantly higher than that for pretest (Mann-Whitney U = 105.00, nl=n2=25, p<0.05 two-tailed) at the 95% level of significance (p = 0.000, 2-tailed). In the pretest distribution of scores, the mean rank of scores was 17.22 and in the post-test distribution was 33.78, measurably higher. The higher post intervention score was interpreted as clinically significant. Conclusion: The findings in this health educational quality improvement project are both clinically and statistically significant for improving medication adherence.