Nonadherence to antiepileptic medication and associated factors among persons with epilepsy in India: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Nonadherence to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) is a prevalent issue in India, contributing to suboptimal seizure control, higher morbidity and mortality, increased hospitalization rates, and a substantial effect on the overall quality of life for individuals with epilepsy.
Objectives: This study aimed to measure the prevalence of medication adherence among individuals with epilepsy in India and to identify factors associated with nonadherence.
Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Google Scholar for studies on AED adherence in India. Quality assessment employed Newcastle Ottawa Scale adapted for cross-sectional studies. Pooled prevalence was ascertained using a random-effects model in R software (version 4.2.2), with a 95% confidence interval. Heterogeneity was estimated with the I ² statistic, and publication bias was appraised via a funnel plot. Subgroup analyses, based on study region and adherence measurement tool, were done to investigate heterogeneity.
Results: Nine cross-sectional studies with 1772 participants were analyzed. The pooled prevalence of adherence to AEDs in India stood at 49.9% (95% CI: 39.8%-60.1%). Subgroup analyses showed comparable adherence rates in the South (50.9%) and North (46.5%) regions of India. However, adherence rates varied substantially based on the measurement tool: Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-4 (MMAS-4) reported 71.3%, MMAS-8 indicated 45.9%, and Morisky Green Levine (MGL) adherence scale exhibited 42.0%. Factors contributing to non-adherence to antiepileptic therapies involved poor socioeconomic status, lower education levels, polytherapy, drug-related side effects, and substance abuse.
Conclusions: Almost half of persons with epilepsy in India were non-adherent to their AEDs. This underscores the importance for healthcare professionals to pay greater attention to improving the adherence rate to AEDs within the healthcare service.
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