Ahmed AA* and Germossa GN
Background:
Rheumatic heart disease is a chronic heart condition caused by rheumatic fever that can be prevented and controlled by secondary prophylaxis. However, there is paucity of information on adherence of patients to rheumatic heart disease secondary prophylaxis in Jimma, southwest of Ethiopia.
Objective:
To assess level of adherence to secondary prophylaxis and factor affecting among patients with rheumatic heart disease attending Jimma University Teaching Hospital, Cardiac clinic.
Methodology:
Facility based cross-sectional study was done on all rheumatic heat disease patients (277) coming for follow-up during specified period at Jimma University Teaching Hospital cardiac follow-up clinic. Records of all patients were reviewed. Using structured questionnaire the patients or their attendants were interviewed. The descriptive statistics and chi square were used to analyze/compute some variables by using computer.
Results:
Of the total 277 who gave responses, 249 (89.9%) took rheumatic heart disease secondary prophylaxis and all of them used benthanthine penicillin. One fifth (20.5%) patients out of 249 on secondary prophylaxis missed their regular injection at least once. Distance from treatment center and knowledge on disease prevention were strongly associated with adherence to rheumatic heart disease secondary prophylaxis (p<0.03).
Conclusion and Recommendation:
About one-fifth of the patients were missed their secondary prophylaxis and the main reasons were distance from hospital, lack of money, dissatisfaction with staff and lack of knowledge. Educating patients/care givers on the cause and prevention rheumatic heart disease as well as complication following missing of secondary prophylaxis are helpful to improve adherence level of patients to secondary prophylaxis.
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