https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4463-0285
Abstract
Purpose
Treatment non-adherence leads to negative therapeutic outcomes and financial burdens on the healthcare system. This study aims to compare the mean adherence scores among patients with five dermatological diseases and four treatment types and to identify the associated patient-related factors.
Patients and methods
This is a cross-sectional study conducted from January 2019 to August 2019. The questionnaire was distributed among patients attending the outpatient dermatology clinic at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It included 2330 patients who were over 16 years old and diagnosed with any of the five dermatological diseases (psoriasis, chronic dermatitis, acne vulgaris, hair growth disorders, and vitiligo). The 12-item Medication Adherence Scale was used to quantify the mean adherence score.
Results
Patients with psoriasis or chronic dermatitis were less adherent to treatments than patients with acne vulgaris, hair growth disorder, or vitiligo. Oral treatment and phototherapy had higher mean adherence scores than injection or topical treatment. High adherence was found in female, single patients; those who did not feel stigmatized from using treatment; those who did not have bad experience with the treatment; those who did not suffer from forgetfulness; those who connected receiving treatment with a habit; those who did not lack treatment responsiveness; those who had an excellent relationship with a dermatologist; and patients with a lesion in an exposed area. Stepwise multiple linear regression was also used to identify the independent variables related to adherence score.
Conclusion
Psoriasis and chronic dermatitis patients had the lowest mean adherence scores. Patient who were on oral medication had the highest adherence score, while those on topical medication had the lowest score. The thoughtful consideration of factors associated with high adherence is important for optimal therapeutic outcomes.
Acknowledgment
This research project was supported by a grant from the Research Center of the Female Scientific and Medical Colleges, Deanship of Scientific Research, King Saud University. Furthermore, we would like to thank Dr. Ueno Haruka for his permission to use the 12-item medication adherence scale and the translators, Rand Al-Dakhil and Sara Bin Dakhil, for their participation in translating the 12-item medication adherence scale.
Ethical Approval
All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.”
Author Contributions
All authors contributed to data analysis, drafting and revising the article, gave final approval of the version to be published, and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
Funding
The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and publication of this article.
Disclosure
The author reports no conflicts of interest in this work.