ANTIEPILEPTIC MEDICATION ADHERENCE IN CHILDREN WITH EPILEPSY AT QUEEN RANIA AL - ABDULLAH CHILDREN HOSPITAL

Non - adherence to medication is main cause of unsuccessful drug treatment for epilepsy is due to poor adherence to prescribed medication.this study isdetermining the percentage of adherence to anti - epileptic medication (AED) in pediatric clinic in Queen Rania Children Hospital (QRCH); and identify the factors the affec t adherence. 112 pediatric patients’ diagnosis of epilepsy and initiation of antiepileptic drug therapy; age between 2 to 14 years; absence of developmental disorders or comorbid chronic illnesses requiring daily medication. Data was collected from childre n primary caregiver with epilepsy seen at neurology clinic at QRCH during the period January - August 2015. Medication adherence has been assessed based on self - reporting questionnaire. Utilized 8 - item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS - 8). Conclusi on: 79.5 % of the patients display some adherence to antiepileptic medication, while 20.5% of the patients do not display adherence to their antiepileptic medication. 23 patients (20.5%) have low adherence, 56 patients (50%) have medium adherence, and 33 patients (29.4%) have high adherence. The top three reasons for non - adherence are: forget to take medication (52.2%), side effects of medications (33.8%), and being improvement and seizure free for a period (30.4%). The least rated reason for non - adherenc e is related to child refusal to take medication (13.1%).