Urate-lowering therapy adherence and the association with medication beliefs, self-efficacy, depression, anxiety, and COVID-19 pandemic-related concern in Chinese gout patients: a cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT

This study aims to assess urate-lowering therapy adherence and the relationship with medication beliefs, self-efficacy, depression, anxiety, and COVID−19 pandemic-related concerns in Chinese gout patients during the COVID−19 outbreak. 101 gout patients receiving urate-lowering therapy were involved to evaluate adherence, medication beliefs, self-efficacy, depression, anxiety, and COVID−19 pandemic-related concerns via a mobile app-based questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 22.0. A total of 101 valid responses were included in the statistical analysis. The results showed that, the rate of adherence to urate-lowering therapy during the COVID−19 outbreak was 22.8% in Chinese patients with gout, higher than that in normal times (9.6%). Compared to the adherent group, non-adherent gout patients had shorter disease duration, lower self-efficacy, lower necessity about urate-lowering therapy score, higher concerns about urate-lowering therapy score, and smaller necessity-concerns differential. Depression and anxiety rates (3.0% and 5.0%, respectively) during the COVID−19 break were lower than that in normal times. Additionally, depression, anxiety, as well as COVID−19 pandemic-related concerns (27.7%) were not related to urate-lowering therapy adherence. In conclusion, adherence rate to urate-lowering therapy in Chinese gout patients during the COVID−19 outbreak was 22.8%, higher than normal times, but still very poor. Except for a little concern about being more susceptible to the virus, patients’ mental state is relatively good. While the country puts great efforts into COVID−19 prevention and control, attention must also be paid to the medication management of patients with chronic diseases such as gout.

KEYWORDS:

• Gout
• adherence
• medication beliefs
• self-efficacy
• COVID-19

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to show appreciation to the statistical guidance provided by Yamei Huang.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Science, Education and Health, Youth Science and Technology Project of Suzhou City (grant nos KJXW2018007); Science and Technology Development Plan Project of Suzhou City under Grant (nos. SYS2019043)