Evaluation of drug compliance and quality of life in children followed up and treated for suppurative lung disease and factors causing nonadherence.

The study was conducted with children aged 8-12 years, adolescents aged 13-18 years and their families to investigate the compliance rates and quality of life of children diagnosed with suppurative lung disease who were being followed up in the Necmettin Erbakan University, Faculty of Medicine, Pediatric Chest Diseases Clinic and who were admitted for control, and to evaluate the factors affecting and preventing their treatment compliance. A total of 430 people, 215 patients and 215 parents were interviewed. The details of the study were explained to the patients and parents and a voluntary consent form was signed. The child/adolescent assessment form and parent form of the general quality of life scale, for which validity and reliability studies were conducted for children aged 8-12 years and adolescents aged 13-18 years, were completed. In addition, a quality of life questionnaire and a form prepared for the evaluation of medication adherence, quality of life and factors leading to nonadherence in children were applied for parents. In accordance with these forms, appropriate statistical analyses were performed and the results were evaluated. According to the answers given by the parents, 58.6% of the children used their medications regularly; when children aged 8-12 and 13-18 years were compared, it was found that those who used medications regularly and knew the medications and dosages were significantly higher in the 13-18 age group. The most important reason for not taking medication was not liking the smell and taste of the medication; the other two most common reasons were forgetting and interference with social life. Approximately 88% of the parents stated that their children felt upset because they were taking medication every day and that it affected their daily activities and quality of life, and approximately 45% of the parents said that their children cared what their friends thought about them taking medication. When child quality of life scores by child and parent were compared according to sociodemographic characteristics, it was found that family type was important, receiving information about medicines and their use from the health institution, doctor/nurse was more common in nuclear families and children's quality of life was higher. It was observed that the rate of those who received adequate information about medicines, knew the medicines and their dosages and quality of life was significantly higher in those with higher income. When the quality of life scores of children aged 8-12 years were compared according to the characteristics of medication adherence according to children and parents, it was found that the quality of life scores of children were higher in those whose source of information was doctor/nurse/health institution. For 13-18 years of age, it was concluded that quality of life scores were higher in those who consulted a doctor in case of treatment problems and in those whose source of information was a doctor/health care provider. In conclusion, sociodemographic characteristics such as age, income, family type and information sources may have an effect on medication adherence and quality of life in children and their families who use medication for suppurative lung disease. Moreover, continuous medication use affects children's daily activities and quality of life.