Factors Associated With Non-Compliance To Mass Drug Administration For Lymphatic Filariasis In Ankobra

ABSTRACT Background: Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a parasitic disease that has been targeted for elimination since 2000. Mass drug administration (MDA) started in the Ankobra community in 2000. Nevertheless, the microfilaremia rate is still up to 4.5 % in 2016. Noncompliance to MDA is an important factor that can sustain the persistence of the disease after the required five to six MDA rounds. This study was aimed at determining the noncompliance level and the reasons as well as the factors associated with it in the Ankobra community, Ellembelle Health District in Ghana. Methods: A cross-sectional study using a one-stage cluster sampling method was done between June and July 2017. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect information on sociodemographic characteristics, the latest MDA coverage, its non-compliance rate, reasons for and factors associated with it. In addition, two different types of questionnaire have been used to collect respectively information about the health workers and the drug distributors involved in the MDA process in the Ankobra community, Ellembelle Health District in Ghana. Results: The MDA coverage and non-compliance rates among the community members in the Ankobra community were respectively 73.5 % (N= 200) and 33.33 % (N=147). The reasons reported for non-compliance were fear of adverse events (AE) (75.51 %), not willing to take the drugs (10.2 %), pregnancy (8.16 %), not suffering from LF (4.08 %) and taking other medications (2.04 %). Women, participants less than 30 years old, singles and educated people had increased odds of being non-compliant but the associations were not statistically significant (all p-values > 0.05). Thinking being not susceptible to LF was statistically associated with the non-compliance (OR= 2.47, [CI= 1.1-5.5]). Conclusion: The present study reported MDA coverage and non-compliance rates of respectively 73.5 % and 33.33 % in 2016 in the Ankobra community. Fear of AE was the main reason reported for non-compliance. Health education strategies targeting the above identified non-compliant should be initiated in the Ankobra community to meet the GPELF elimination goal by 2020.