Prevalence of Non-adherence to Prescribed Medications among Hemodialysis Patients in Makkah City

Patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) are required to take multiple medications. Adherence to a complex regimen of medications is challenging and might lead to non-adherence. This study aimed to assess nonadherence to prescribed medications among patients with ESKD in Makkah City and determine the factors associated with a such behavior. A cross-sectional study was conducted at three governmental hospitals in Makkah City, Saudi Arabia. Descriptive statistics were performed to characterize participants, and a multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine factors associated with nonadherence to prescribed medications among patients with ESKD. In total, 358 patients have submitted completed surveys and were included in this study. A considerable number (45.25%) of participating patients were found to be nonadherent to prescribed medications. The factors: age, belief that taking medications as scheduled is important, adherence to dialysis sessions, and the number of comorbid diseases had significant and negative associations with nonadherence to prescribed medications. On the other hand, the factors: forgetfulness and having depression were significantly and positively associated with non-adherence to prescribed medications. Non-adherence to medications among patients on hemodialysis is a significant issue that leads to life-threatening complications. The factors identified as being significantly associated with nonadherence should be considered in designing future interventions to improve adherence to medications.