Impact of pharmacist intervention on antidepressant medication adherence and disease severity in patients with major depressive disorder in fragile north-east Nigeria

Objectives Medication adherence is emerging as a major public health challenge particularly in patients with depression.The aim of this study was to explore the usefulness of a pharmacist intervention to improve antidepressant medication adherence and disease severity in patients with major depressive disorder. Methods This prospective interventional study was conducted between April 2019 and March 2020 among 101 patients at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Maiduguri, Nigeria. Consenting patients were randomised into usual care or intervention groups using a computer-generated list. Data were collected at baseline, 3 months and 6 months. Medication adherence and depression severity were assessed using the Medication Adherence Rating Scale and Beck Depression Inventory respectively. Key findings At baseline, both the usual care and intervention groups had low mean scores for medication adherence [5.22 (SD = 1.51) versus 5.46 (SD = 1.46)] and high mean scores for depression severity [24.16 (SD = 13.50) versus 27.07 (SD = 16.12)]. At 6 months, there was a significant difference (P < 0.001) between the mean medication adherence scores of 5.22 (SD = 1.90) and 9.15 (SD = 1.62), in the usual care and intervention groups respectively. A significant difference (P= 0.033) was also observed at 6 months between the mean depression severity scores of the usual care and intervention groups [21.40 (SD = 11.52) and 17.34 (SD = 6.96)]. Medication adherence (P < 0.001, Partial eta squared = 0.279) and depression severity (P < 0.001, Partial eta squared = 0.170) positively changed with time in the presence of the intervention. Conclusions The intervention significantly improved antidepressant medication adherence and disease severity in patients with major depressive disorder.