PHARMACY

Medication adherence remains a critical determinant of therapeutic success, particularly in the management of chronic or recurrent conditions such as peptic ulcer disease (PUD). This study assessed the level of adherence to prescribed ulcer medications among pharmacy students at the University of Benin, identified key factors influencing adherence, and examined facilitators that promote consistent medication use. A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed, involving 300 purposively selected respondents. Data were collected using a structured, self-administered questionnaire and analysed with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. Descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages, were utilized to summarize participants’ characteristics, while Chi-square tests were used to examine associations between adherence levels and influencing variables at a 5% significance level. Findings revealed that 24.7% of respondents demonstrated high medication adherence, 40.2% showed moderate adherence, and 35.1% exhibited low adherence. The major barriers identified included inadequate knowledge (53.1%), forgetfulness (42.8%), financial constraints (48.0%), and academic stress (48.0%). Significant determinants of adherence were gender (p = 0.038), forgetfulness (p = 0.005), medication cost (p = 0.030), inadequate knowledge (p < 0.001), limited healthcare access (p = 0.002), and academic stress (p < 0.001). Conversely, access to free or subsidized medications (p = 0.028) and counselling (p = 0.030) positively influenced adherence levels. In summary, the findings emphasize the need for multifaceted interventions, incorporating education, financial support, and counselling to improve medication adherence and optimize therapeutic outcomes among students managing peptic ulcers.

Background of Study:
Recently, financial mental health has garnered increasing attention from researchers, although practitioners have long been aware of clients whose financial issues affect their cognitive, emotional, and relational well-being. The latest studies in financial mental health have focused on financial disorders and money scripts (Klontz et al., 2012; Klontz et al., 2011; Klontz et al., 2016). Identified financial disorders include: a) financial enabling, b) compulsive buying disorder, c) compulsive hoarding, d) pathological gambling, e) workaholism, f) financial dependence, g) financial infidelity, and h) financial enmeshment (Klontz et al., 2016; Klontz et al., 2011). Financial stress and anxiety are also considered integral aspects of financial mental health. Financial anxiety can be described as the subjective experience of stress and worried thoughts related to one's financial situation. Studies indicate that financial anxiety is distinct from general anxiety, with a correlation of about 0.40 (Shapiro and Burchell, 2012). Additionally, financial anxiety can hinder a person's ability to make effective financial decisions (Ali et al., 2020), decrease the likelihood of seeking financial advice (Gerrans and Hershey, 2017), and adversely affect overall mental health (Greene et al., 2016). Therefore, identifying and understanding the predictors of financial anxiety is considered important. The prevalence of financial anxiety among students is well-documented. Many students struggle with the costs of tuition, living expenses, and student loans (though this is not common in Nigeria). These financial pressures are compounded by the need to balance part-time work with academic responsibilities, exacerbating feelings of stress and anxiety. Pharmacy students, in particular, may experience higher levels of financial anxiety due to the demanding nature of their programs and the associated costs. The implications of financial anxiety therefore extend beyond financial decision-making, impacting overall mental health. Chronic financial stress can lead to conditions such as depression and anxiety, further complicating students' ability to succeed academically. Identifying and addressing the predictors of financial anxiety, therefore, becomes essential in fostering a supportive environment for students.