PEPTIC ULCER

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.