Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research, 2021, Vol 12, 410–416 doi:10.1093/jphsr/rmab030 Research Paper Advance Access publication 2 July 2021 410 © The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com Research Paper Impact of pharmacist intervention on antidepressant medication adherence and disease severity in patients with major depressive disorder in fragile north-east Nigeria Hadiza Yusuf 1, * , , Mohammed G. Magaji 2 , Bilkisu B. Maiha 2 , Sani I. Yakubu 1 , Wazis C. Haruna 3 and Shafu Mohammed 4,5 1 Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Administration, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria 2 Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria 3 Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria, 4 Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria 5 Health Systems and Policy Research Unit, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria *Correspondence: Hadiza Yusuf, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Administration, University of Maiduguri, P.M.B. 1069, Bama road, Maiduguri, Borno State, 600230, Nigeria. Tel: +234-7036901906; Email: hadizayusuf3@gmail.com Received December 24, 2020; Accepted May 24, 2021. Abstract 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 inter- vention 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 fndings 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 de- pression severity [24.16 (SD = 13.50) versus 27.07 (SD = 16.12)]. At 6 months, there was a signif- cant 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 signifcant differ- ence (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 signifcantly improved antidepressant medication adherence and disease severity in patients with major depressive disorder. Keywords: medication adherence; depression severity; pharmacist's intervention; major depressive disorder; Nigeria Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/jphsr/article/12/3/410/6313203 by guest on 24 May 2023