How to predict medication adherence and other health-related adherence in patients with inflammatory arthritis?

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the role of psychological variables (anxiety, depression, beliefs about medication, satisfaction and frustration of basic psychological needs, and mindfulness skills) on adherence in patients with inflammatory arthritis (IA).

METHODS

250 patients with IA completed an online questionnaire at baseline (T0) and three months later (T1). Their adherence was assessed at T1 with the General Adherence for Chronic Disease Profile (GACID-P) exploring patients' daily life and medical domains of adherence. Measures carried out at T0 included sociodemographic variables, anxiety and depression, beliefs about medicines, basic psychological needs satisfaction and frustration, and mindfulness skills. Following descriptive analyses and correlations between variables, multiple linear regressions were performed to identify adherence predictors.

RESULTS

All significant correlations between psychological variables and the two adherence domains were as expected. Three mindfulness skills (observing, acting with awareness and nonreacting) were found as predictors of both domains. Beliefs about treatment (necessity and overuse) predicted medical adherence, whereas the frustration of the relatedness need with relatives predicted daily life adherence.

CONCLUSION

Mindfulness skills and treatment beliefs are critical psychological factors for improving general adherence in patients with IA.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is proposed as an appropriate integrative approach for improving adherence.