<p>Assessing Adherence to Inhaled Corticosteroids Among Adults with Asthma in Kuwait Using the Medication Adherence Report Scale for Asthma</p>

Abstract

Purpose: Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are the mainstay maintenance therapy for asthma management. Non-adherence to ICS, which can lead to exacerbations and poor asthma control, is commonly reported among adult patients with asthma. The level of adherence to ICS among adult patients with asthma in Kuwait has not been previously published. The aim of this study was to assess adherence to ICS among adults with asthma in Kuwait. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among adult patients with asthma using ICS therapy at ambulatory asthma clinics in Kuwait. Adherence to ICS was assessed using the Medication Adherence Report Scale for Asthma (MARS-A). Descriptive and logistic regression analyses were conducted using SPSS version 23. Results: One hundred and forty-nine patients with a mean age of 41.42 (12.75) years participated in the study. The majority of the participants (82.6%) reported low adherence to ICS. Approximately, three-quarters of the participants reported that they used ICS either when needed or when they felt breathless. Furthermore, about half of them admitted that they tried to avoid using ICS (46.3%), or forgot to take ICS (51%), or only used ICS before performing an exercise that made them breathless (54%). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, independent predictors (age, education, and smoking status) were not found to significantly influence the overall adherence to ICS therapy. Conclusion: Adherence to ICS among adult patients with asthma was found to be low in ambulatory care settings in Kuwait. Future studies should aim to determine the barriers to ICS adherence among patients with asthma, with a focus on developing effective intervention strategies.

Non-adherence to inhaled medications among adult asthmatic patients in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…This indicates that one out of three in Oromia region and one out of five in Amhara region asthmatic patients were non-adherent to their inhaled anti-asthmatic medications. The finding of this study was lower than the prevalence of single studies conducted in Denmark (61.3%) [33], Northern Ireland (88% in) [34], southeast Michigan (50%) [35], and Kuwait (82.6%) [36]. Whereas this finding is higher than the study conducted in Egypt (21%) [37].…”

“…The finding of this study was lower than the prevalence of single studies conducted in Denmark (61.3%) [ 33 ], Northern Ireland (88% in) [ 34 ], southeast Michigan (50%) [ 35 ], and Kuwait (82.6%) [ 36 ]. Whereas this finding is higher than the study conducted in Egypt (21%) [ 37 ].…”

Adherence to Inhaled Corticosteroid Therapy and Its Clinical Impact on Asthma Control in Adults Living with Asthma in Northwestern Ethiopian Hospitals

“…On the other hand, the overall mean adherence score was marginally good, and only less than 15% of the patients rigorously adhered to the ICS therapy. This level was lower compared with findings reported from other studies 19 , 28 and a previous study conducted in Ethiopia. 25 In addition, the overall mean score for adherence to ICS therapy in the current study was also lower than previous findings, 28 , 29 but higher than in a study from Kuwait.…”

“… 25 In addition, the overall mean score for adherence to ICS therapy in the current study was also lower than previous findings, 28 , 29 but higher than in a study from Kuwait. 19 The difference in the level of adherence to ICS therapy may due to socio-cultural differences, with different attitudes towards medications and the use of different instruments to measure adherence. Patients with different socio-cultural identities potentially have different levels of medication adherence.…”

“…Poor adherence was also observed in Iran (55%), 17 Egypt (21%), 18 and Kuwait (17.4%). 19 However, this level of adherence was estimated to be lower in developing countries, where access to healthcare and medications is limited. 9…”