Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of the newly developed MEDSTIK tool in improving medication adherence.
METHODS: A Prospective intervention study was conducted for four months in mysuru district rural areas community pharmacies. The MEDSTIK tool was developed as a colour-shape coding and do you know? cards method for improving patient medication adherence. Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, asthma patients visiting community pharmacies regular were enrolled in the study. The baseline and post-intervention medication adherence for hypertension, diabetes and asthma was carried out using a developed and validated medication adherence questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in this study to assess how well the MEDSTIK tool improved medication adherence among chronic disease patients visiting community pharmacies in mysuru district.
RESULTS: A Total of 163 participant were enrolled among them 58.3% were males, with average age group being 40-60 years (47.2%). Hypertension was the most common diagnosis (40.5%). Baseline adherence before implementing MEDSTIK, was 40.4% adherent to their prescribed regimens. Post- intervention after one month the adherence rates increase to 80.3%. The average adherence score before MEDSTIK was 5.4±1.6. After MEDSTIK the adherence score came to (2.9±1.6) with p-value <0.0001.
CONCLUSIONS: The MEDSTIK tool significantly enhanced medication adherence in hypertension and diabetes mellitus patients. The overall adherence rate in these two diseases increases from 40.4% to 80.3%. These statistically significant results advocate for its broader adoption to improve pharmaceutical care. Community pharmacist will help the patients to improve overall health outcomes and reduce cost associated non adherence and health related quality of life by offering MEDSTIK in their community pharmacies