Relationship between Medication Literacy and Drug Adherence among Patients with Hypertension and Diabetes in Owerri, South East Nigeria

Background: Medication literacy, defined as a patient's ability to obtain, understand, and act on medication information, is increasingly recognised as a determinant of therapeutic adherence. Patients with chronic conditions who possess low medication literacy are more likely to experience poor drug adherence and clinical outcomes. This study examined the relationship between medication literacy and drug adherence among patients with comorbid hypertension and diabetes in Owerri, Imo State. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 250 patients with confirmed comorbid hypertension and type 2 diabetes at Federal Medical Centre Owerri. Medication literacy was assessed using the Medication Understanding and Use Self-Efficacy (MUSE) scale, and adherence was assessed using the MMAS-8. Results: Low medication literacy was found in 47 percent of respondents. There was a significant positive correlation between medication literacy and adherence scores (r = 0.61, p less than 0.001). Patients with low literacy were 2.5 times more likely to have low adherence. Educational attainment and pharmacist counselling were independently associated with higher literacy scores. Conclusion: Medication literacy is a significant predictor of adherence in patients with hypertension and diabetes in Owerri. Routine literacy-sensitive counselling should be adopted in pharmacy practice for comorbid patients. Keywords: medication literacy, adherence, hypertension, diabetes, Owerri