Influence of medication related burden on asthma control and medication adherence among Iraqi asthmatic patients

Background: Medication-related burden (MRB) reflects negative patient experiences with treatment, including adverse effects, concerns about dependency, and the complexity of different regimens. Asthmatic patients are subjected to multiple inhalers and oral drugs that can heighten the MRB, reduce life quality, and worsen health outcomes when medication adherence or technique becomes poor. MRB was measured by The Living with Medication Questionnaire (LMQ), and medication adherence is measured by Morisky’s adherence test, while asthma control is measured using the Asthma Control Test (ACT), which are validated tools. Methods: This study is cross-sectional conducted in two teaching hospitals in Baghdad from October 2024 till September 2025, enrolling 200 Patients. Data collection included sociodemographic characteristics, adherence, asthma control, and MRB assessment Results: Results showed that 65.5% of patients reported minimum MRB, 30% moderate MRB, 2.5% high MRB, and only 2% no burden. Adherence levels were low overall: 41.5% had poor adherence, 42.5% intermediate, and just 16% high adherence. MRB was significantly associated with social status and body mass index (BMI), and strongly correlated with asthma control, being higher among patients with uncontrolled asthma. However, there was no significant association between MRB and adherence levels. Conclusion: Most Iraqi asthmatic patients experienced minimum to moderate MRB, with higher burden among divorced individuals, those with BMI > 30, and those with uncontrolled asthma.