Determinants of Factors Influencing Medication Adherence among Tuberculosis Patients: A Literature Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37287/ijghr.v8i2.747Keywords:
associated factors, determinant factors, medication adherence, patients, predictors, TB, treatment adherence, treatment compliance, tuberculosisAbstract
Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in developing countries. The success of therapy is highly dependent on patients’ adherence to long-term treatment regimens. Non-adherence may lead to drug resistance, relapse, and treatment failure. Therefore, identifying factors that influence treatment adherence is crucial for designing effective interventions. This literature review aims to identify and analyze factors influencing medication adherence among tuberculosis patients based on empirical evidence from studies published between 2020 and 2025. The article search process followed the 2020 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Searches were conducted across four reputable international databases: Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. Keywords used included ("tuberculosis" OR "TB") AND ("treatment adherence" OR "medication adherence" OR "treatment compliance") AND ("determinant factors" OR "associated factors" OR "predictors") AND ("patients"). Inclusion criteria consisted of original research articles employing cross-sectional or observational designs, involving active TB patients, and published in English between 2020 and 2025. Out of 1,610 identified articles, 410 duplicates were removed, leaving 1,200 articles for initial screening based on title and abstract. After full-text eligibility assessment of 180 articles, 16 studies met all criteria and were included in the final analysis. Findings from 16 studies revealed that TB medication adherence is influenced by sociodemographic, psychological, social support, and healthcare system factors. Family support and healthcare provider counseling were identified as the primary facilitators of adherence, although variations in sociocultural contexts across regions limit the generalizability of these findings. Medication adherence among TB patients is determined by patient-related, social, and healthcare system factors. Efforts to improve adherence require multidimensional approaches through education, psychosocial support, and community-based health service strengthening. These findings highlight the need for contextual and sustainable intervention strategies to optimize TB treatment outcomes.
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