ADHERENCE TO THE MEDICAL REGIMEN OF CORONARY HEART DISEASE PATIENTS ATTENDING ALEXANDRIA UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' HOSPITAL

Abstract

Adherence to CHD medical regimen as a chronic disease that needs long term of follow up is a worldwide problem of striking magnitude. "Increasing the effectiveness of adherence interventions may have a far greater impact on the health of the population than any improvement in specific medical treatments" Aim of the study The present study was designed to explore adherence to the medical regimen of coronary heart disease patients attending University Students' Hospital in Alexandria. I. Assessment of knowledge of coronary heart disease patients about their CHD illness and its prevention. 2. Clarify beliefs of coronary heart disease patients about CHD risk factors, . complications and prevention. 3. Identify Coronary heart disease patients' adherence toward their medical regimen. 4. Identify some factors correlated with adherence of CHD patients to the medical regimen. Target population and study sample:- To fulfill this aim, a cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 400 CHD patients. The sample was consisted of 400 CHD patients randomly selected from out-patient clinic at Alexandria University Students' Hospital. CHD patients who met the following criteria were purposively selected for this study: • 19-70 years of age. • Diagnosed with CHD for at least 6 months. Technical design:- All patients of the study sample were subjected to an interview questionnaire exploring their knowledge, beliefs, their adherence behavior to their CHD medical regimen and the factors correlated with their adherence behavior. The designed questionnaire obtained data of the following; 1. Socio demographic data about CHD patients including age, sex, marital status educational level, occupation. 2. Knowledge of CHD patients about the risk factors and CHD prevention. 3. Beliefs ofCHD patients about their CHD medical regimen. 4. Adherence of CHD patients toward their medical regimen. 5. Factors correlated with adherence of CHD patients to the medical regimen. The results obtained in the present study could be summarized in the following items: • The main Sociodemographic characteristics of the study sample showed that males were more than females (58.5%, 41.5% respectively), with mean age of 48.07 ±5.94 years. • The majority of the CHD patient were married 77.5% and 37% were retired. • There was statistically significant sex difference regarding CHD family history.