Brief Article
Copyright ©2013 Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Psychiatr. Jun 22, 2013; 3(2): 25-33
Published online Jun 22, 2013. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v3.i2.25
Adherence to medication: A nation-wide study from the Children’s Cancer Hospital, Egypt
Hanan El Malla, Nathalie Ylitalo Helm, Ulrica Wilderäng, Yasser El Sayed Elborai, Gunnar Steineck, Ulrika Kreicbergs
Hanan El Malla, Nathalie Ylitalo Helm, Ulrica Wilderäng, Gunnar Steineck, Division of Clinical Cancer Epidemiology, Department of Oncology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 413 45 Gothenburg, Sweden
Nathalie Ylitalo Helm, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
Yasser El Sayed Elborai, Children’s Cancer Hospital (CCHE 57357), Cairo 11617, Egypt
Yasser El Sayed Elborai, National Cancer Institute, Cairo 11796, Egypt
Gunnar Steineck, Division of Clinical Cancer Epidemiology, Department of Oncology and Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
Ulrika Kreicbergs, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
Ulrika Kreicbergs, Sophiahemmet University College, 114 27 Stockholm, Sweden
Author contributions: All authors contributed to this paper.
Correspondence to: Dr. Hanan El Malla, Division of Clinical Cancer Epidemiology, Department of Oncology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 413 45 Gothenburg, Sweden. hanan.el.malla@oncology.gu.se
Telephone: +46-735004512 Fax: +46-31-209250
Received: February 5, 2013
Revised: April 4, 2013
Accepted: April 13, 2013
Published online: June 22, 2013
Core Tip

Core tip: Ensuring adherence to a prescribed medication regimen is a complex problem, even in parts of the world where studies have been made. Such studies have not been made in the Arab World. Research has established that a holistic approach is essential if adherence is to be improved. We know that patient-physician communication and psychological factors bearing on behaviour are important. This is shown by our study at the Children’s Cancer Hospital in Egypt; two thirds of the children did not follow the medication regimen upon discharge. Parents reported that their children resisted taking the medication and information given was inadequate.