OBJECTIVE: To describe the factors affecting compliance to medications among adult Filipino patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

METHODS: A survey was conducted among adult Filipino patients with SLE at the Rheumatology Clinics of the University of Santo Tomas Hospital and St. Luke's Medical Center seen from July to December 2006. Each patient was asked to complete the Compliance-Questionnaire-Rheumatology form. Quality of life, disease activity and organ damage were assessed. Data were statistically analyzed using comparison of means.

RESULTS: A total of 70 patients (all females) were included in the study. There was a 71 percent compliance rate in this cohort SLE patients. Compliance rate was highest among married (74%), self-employed (88%) patients who attained a grade school level of education (83%) with income above the minimum wage (76%). Age, disease duration, quality of life, disease activity and organ damage did not significantly affect compliance rate.

CONCLUSION: In this cohort of Filipino patients with SLE, the overall compliance rate was 71 percent with the highest compliance found among those who were married, self-employed and/or with income above minimum wage, and those who attained only a grade school level of education. Age, disease duration, quality of life, disease activity and organ damage did not significantly affect the compliance of patients to medications. Since compliance is vital to the effective management of SLE, our observations reiterate the need to further study the other possible factors affecting compliance in order to develop more focused patient education programs.