PERSONAL FACTORS RELATED TO ADHERENCE TO THE ROUTINE NON-PHARMACOLOGIC INTERVENTIONS AMONG PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC ILLNESSES ATTENDING LUWEERO HC IV. A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY.

Abstract

Background
The aim of this study is to document the personal factors related to adherence to the routine non-pharmacologic interventions among patients with chronic illnesses attending Luweero HC IV.Non- pharmacological interventions refer to science-based and non-invasive interventions on human health that aim to prevent, treat, or cure health problems; Chronic illnesses refer to diseases that cannot be prevented through vaccination or cured by medication neither can they just disappear but take lasts for three or more months or even for life.There are specific interventions for each of the chronic disease are recommended. Personal factors like marital status are key in this study.Therefore, the study seeksto assess the personal factors related to adherence to the routine non-pharmacologic interventions among patients with chronic illnesses attending Luweero HC IV.

Methodology
The study adopted a cross-sectional survey design in which quantitative data were collected using a questionnaire from 326 patients with chronic illnesses visiting Luweero Health Centre IV.

Results
The study shows that adherence to routine non-pharmacologic interventions is highest amongst the married patients with chronic illnesses 65.6% and lowest amongst the unmarried patients 39.2%. This difference is statistically significant (OR=0.338; 95% CI: p= 0.001).Similarly adherence to routine non-pharmacological interventions was highest amongst educated patients 63.2% and lowest amongst the uneducated 34.0%. The variation in adherence statistically significant (OR=0.299; 95% CI: 0.591-0.151; p = 0.000).

Conclusion
Patients who visit the health Centre’s with different background and thoughts about the illness they have, perceived severity, benefits and threats remain high and barrier low.

Recommendation
Non-pharmacologic interventionists and government through its line ministry of health should put in place education sensitive information giving mechanisms as to permit patients at different educational levels to make use of non-pharmacologic interventions.