Medication adherence and medication concordance among chronic illness patients in selected suburban areas in Johor, Malaysia: A cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Inadequate medication adherence is a significant problem globally, affecting up to 50% of chronic illness patients. The complications can also be significant, with increased rates of disease complications and hospitalisations due to lack of adherence. This research study seeks to find the medication adherence rate across select suburban areas in Johor, Malaysia, and to identify the relationship between medication adherence and treatment concordance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among patients with chronic diseases across various locations in Johor. A validated questionnaire, the Malaysia Medication Adherence Assessment Tool (MyMAAT) and a Modified Concordance Scale were used to explore the study objectives. RESULTS: Medication adherence is defined as a MyMAAT score of ≥54. A total of 82 chronic illness patients participated in this study, with males (48.8%) and females (51.2%). The mean age of the participants is 57.5 years old. The study reported 41.5% adherence (MyMAAT ≥54). Female vs male OR was calculated via logistic regression adjusting for confounding factors, with adherence (MyMAAT≥54) as a binary factor (OR=4.23; 95% CI 1.38-12.91; p=0.011). A statistically significant weak correlation was found between the MyMAAT score and the Modified Concordance Scale score (SR ρ=0.286, p=0.009). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the study shows a potential relationship between medication concordance and improved patient adherence in the Malaysian setting. More research should be conducted to further verify these findings.