BACKGROUND: Women with newly diagnosed hormone receptor-positive breast cancer are offered adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET). Despite the survival benefits of the therapy, a significant proportion of breast cancer patients do not adhere to the anti-hormonal medication.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyse demographic, social, psychological and treatment-related factors influencing whether women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer were adherent to offered therapy.
METHODS: This was a long-term retrospective, medical record study, supplemented with a questionnaire, including 81 women. Data from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register were used to examine adherence. The women were followed for 5 years of offered AET.
RESULTS: Out of 81 women, 67 (83%) were adherent (hade taken out 80% or more of the recommended dose), 10 (12%) were Partially Adherent and 4 (5%) never accepted AET. At baseline, the Never-Adherent group members were younger, more often considered themselves healthy and seemed much more satisfied with their lives. Baseline factors that positively affected adherence were satisfaction with the vocational situation (p = 0.023) and satisfaction with family life (p = 0.040). Cumulative musculoskeletal side effects were more frequently reported among women in the Adherent group than Partially Adherent women, after both 12 and 60 months (p = 0.018 and p = 0.011, respectively). There was also a significant difference in reported cumulative psychological side effects (p = 0.049) in disfavour of the Adherent group. Moreover, according to the questionnaire where the women retrospectively were asked which side effects, they experienced during the treatment period; sexual desire was significantly lower in the Adherent group (p = 0.0402) than in the Partially Adherent group.
CONCLUSIONS: It is important to consider a woman\'s life situation, to support those who otherwise would not be able to complete AET and to help all women relieve side effects during AET. It should be investigated why some women did not start the recommended therapy.

BACKGROUND: Medication adherence is essential for chronic disease management among older adults. Previous studies have shown significant links among social isolation, social support, loneliness, and medication adherence, yet most were based on cross-sectional designs.
OBJECTIVE: We conducted a longitudinal cohort study among Chinese older adults with chronic diseases to explore the mediating effects of social support and loneliness in the association between social isolation and medication adherence.
METHODS: This study followed a cohort of 797 older adults with chronic diseases in China from 2022 to 2023. The serial mediation model was examined via bootstrapping techniques to evaluate the mediating effect of social support and loneliness in the association between social isolation and medication adherence.
RESULTS: From baseline to follow-up, there were significant decreases in social support (from 26.6 ± 6.2 to 23.5 ± 6.7) and medication adherence (from 6.7 ± 1.2 to 6.0 ± 1.5) and significant increases in social isolation (from 1.8 ± 1.3 to 2.5 ± 1.4) and loneliness (13.2 ± 4.1 to 23.5 ± 6.7), all with p < .001. A serial mediation model was confirmed, where social support and loneliness serially and partially mediated the association between social isolation and medication adherence (total effect c = -0.216, 95% CI = -0.296 to -0.136; direct effect c\' = -0.094, 95% CI = -0.171 to -0.017; total indirect effect ab = -0.122, 95% CI = -0.179 to -0.070).
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings yield critical insights into the relationship between social isolation and medication adherence through various mediating mechanisms. These findings hold significant implications for devising psychosocial interventions to enhance medication adherence among older adults with chronic diseases, underscoring the pivotal role of bolstering social support and alleviating loneliness.
This study investigated the relationship between social isolation, medication adherence, and psychosocial factors (social support and loneliness) in Chinese older adults with chronic diseases. We observed decreases in social support and medication adherence and increases in social isolation and loneliness from baseline to follow-up. The findings revealed that social support and loneliness sequentially and partially mediated the association between social isolation and medication adherence. These results highlight the importance of psychosocial interventions to improve medication adherence among older adults by enhancing social support and addressing feelings of loneliness. This study contributes to our understanding of the complex factors influencing medication adherence in this population and offers insights for designing effective interventions.

UNASSIGNED: While suboptimal medication adherence remains an obstacle to the management of hypertension and diabetes in China, few studies have investigated associated factors with medication adherence on different dimensions simultaneously.
UNASSIGNED: To systematically examine associated patient, family, and community factors with suboptimal medication adherence among people with hypertension and/or type 2 diabetes in China.
UNASSIGNED: The study stratified a random sample of 622 adults aged 45 years or older with hypertension and/or type 2 diabetes from three southeast cities in China in 2019. Trained interviewers used the Morisky Green Levine Medication Adherence Scale, Self-Efficacy to Manage Chronic Disease (SEMCD) Scale, and the Family Adaptability, Partnership, Growth, Affection, and Resolve (APGAR) Scale to assess medication adherence, self-efficacy, and family function, respectively. Participants also reported their perceived satisfaction with community health services (quantity, quality, affordability, and overall acceptance). The study used the multivariable logistic regression to assess the association of patient, family, and community factors with suboptimal medication adherence.
UNASSIGNED: Among the participants, 42.9% reported suboptimal medication adherence. In the multivariable logistic regression model, male participants (odds ratio [OR] = 0.55, p = 0.001) had higher medication adherence compared to females. Having a self-efficacy score that was lower than or equal to the sample mean was significantly associated with lower adherence (OR = 1.44, p = 0.039). Participants unsatisfied with the affordability of community health services and medicine had lower adherence (OR = 2.18, p = 0.028) than those neutral or satisfied. There were no significant associations between family function and medication adherence.
UNASSIGNED: Sex, self-efficacy, and perceived affordability of community health services were important factors associated with medication adherence. Healthcare professionals are recommended to consider multiple factors and leverage services and resources in community health centers when promoting medication adherence.

UNASSIGNED: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder affecting millions globally. Adherence to treatment is crucial for effective management.
UNASSIGNED: To compare clinical outcomes, specifically changes in haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and fasting blood sugar (FBS) levels, between DM patients who completed the pharmacist-managed Diabetes Medication Therapy Adherence Clinic (DMTAC) sessions and those who did not, and to identify risk factors associated with non-completion of DMTAC.
UNASSIGNED: This multicenter, retrospective study included patients with DM attending DMTAC at five Ministry of Health centers from January 2018 to December 2020. Patients were categorized based on their completion of DMTAC sessions: those who completed at least four sessions and those who did not as per DMTAC protocol. The changes in HbA1c and FBS levels between the groups were analyzed. Logistic regression was employed to identify risk factors for non-completion of DMTAC.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 198 patients were included, comprising 49% male with a mean age of 56.52, ±12.91 years. The complete group consisted of 49% (n=99) of the patients, while the did not complete group included 50.5% (n=100). A statistically significant reduction in FBS levels from initial to final measurements was observed in the complete group compared to the did not complete group (P=0.024). Female gender, higher education levels, and a longer duration since DM diagnosis were significantly associated with non-completion of DMTAC.
UNASSIGNED: Diabetic patients attending at least four DMTAC sessions showed potential improvements in FBS levels. To enhance attendance at DMTAC sessions, healthcare professionals should focus on patients identified with risk factors for non-completion of DMTAC.

UNASSIGNED: To analyse the improvement of adherence in non-adherent patients with uncontrolled HT, polymedicated and older than 55 years after the use, or not, of Multicompartment compliance aids (MCA).
UNASSIGNED: Longitudinal research (6 month). Levels of adherence to treatment were analysed using an adapted version of Morisky-Green test, counting of returned medication (MCA group) and blood pressure (BP) values. Site: Multicentre study in 35 community pharmacies in Spain. Participants: 195 participants (88 MCA group and 107 control group) older than 55 years, polymedicated, non-adherent to medication, with uncontrolled hypertension and using electronic prescription. Interventions: MCA group received their medication in MCA while control group received their medication as usual. Main measurements: Systolic BP/Diastolic BP was recurrently measured with a digital tensiometer in both groups.
UNASSIGNED: MCA group obtained a significant decrease in BP values compared to the control group (Systolic BP decreased by 18.3 mmHg in the MCA group vs. 9.9 mmHg in the control group and Diastolic BP by 9.9 mmHg vs. 8.9 mmHg). Both groups increased their adherence to over 90%.
UNASSIGNED: The use of MCA controlled BP levels in almost 50% of the participants. For this fact, MCA is postulated as a good tool (cost-effective, well tolerated by users, easy to use ...) to improve the adherence of patients and control their hypertension, although more studies are necessary.

UNASSIGNED: Patients` lack of adherence to pharmacological treatments has a major impact, both clinical and economical. While different methods are used to measure adherence, retrospective studies are being used more frequently as they are more objective, less prone to bias by patient perception and interfere less with patients\' lives. The electronic prescription system provides the community pharmacy with a useful tool to conduct this research.
UNASSIGNED: To measure the adherence of patients to their chronic medication considering different therapeutic drug groups and their mental health using electronic prescription information available in a database.
UNASSIGNED: An observational, ambispective and logitudinal study was developed for 300 patients. Adherence was assessed using Proportion of Days Covered (PDC) per patient and per treatment and the Morisky Green Levine test. Data on patients\' dispensed medication for the last 12 months was obtained through the electronic prescription system. Data on patient mental health was gathered using the PHQ-2 screen for depression.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 300 patients were recruited, but only 290 were included in the analysis. 25.5%; [95%CI: 20.6:30.9] were classified as polymedicated. The median PDC per patient was 0.90 (IQR: 0.73 - 1). According to the Morisky Green Levine questionnaire, 57.9% of the patients [95%CI 52.0:63.6] adhered to their treatments. Concurrence between the Morisky Green Levine test and the PDC had a kappa k=0.086.
UNASSIGNED: The electronic prescription turned out to be a useful tool to gain insight into adherence to long-term treatments measured in terms of the PDC.

BACKGROUND: Millions of people living with HIV (PLWH) take oral antiretroviral therapy (ART), which requires a lifetime of consistent medication adherence. The relationship between adherence and poor HIV outcomes is well documented. Newer ART regimens that include dolutegravir (DTG) could be more forgiving, but empirical evidence on the relationship between adherence and viral suppression under DTG is only emerging.
METHODS: In this observational cohort study (secondary analysis of data from a randomized trial), we used data from 313 ART clients from a large HIV clinic in Kampala, Uganda. Over the 4-year study period (January 2018-January 2022), 91% switched from non-DTG regimens to DTG regimens. We measured adherence using Medication Event Monitoring Systems-caps and extracted prescription information and viral load measures from electronic health records. We estimated unadjusted linear regressions and adjusted models that included individual and time fixed-effects.
RESULTS: Under non-DTG regimens, 96% of participants were virally suppressed (defined as viral load < 200 copies/ml) when adherence was 90% or higher in the 3 months before viral load measurement. Viral suppression was 32 percentage points lower when adherence was between 0% and 49% (95% CI -0.44, -0.20, p < 0.01), 12 percentage points lower when adherence was between 50% and 79% (95% CI -0.23, -0.02, p < 0.01), and not significantly different when adherence was between 80% and 89% (effect of 0.00, 95% CI -0.06, 0.07, p = 0.81). In contrast, for participants taking DTG, there was no statistically significant difference in viral suppression among any of the four adherence levels; more than 95% were virally suppressed at each adherence level. On average, switching to DTG increased viral suppression by 6 percentage points in our adjusted models (95% CI 0.00, 0.13, p = 0.03).
CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant association between adherence levels and viral suppression among PLWH taking DTG regimens, suggesting a high degree of forgiveness for missed doses. The use of DTG should be prioritized over older regimens, particularly for those with low adherence.
BACKGROUND: NCT03494777.

Elderly individuals face an increased likelihood of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes. Self-care practices and medication adherence play crucial roles in preventing complications and adverse effects of this condition. Therefore, this study aimed to determine self-care behaviors, medication adherence status, and related factors among elderly patients with type 2 diabetes. This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 374 elderly patients with type 2 diabetes who visited educational healthcare centers in Qazvin, Iran, during 2023 (March-September). Sampling was performed using the convenience method. Data collection instruments included a demographic characteristics checklist, the summary of diabetes self-care activities questionnaire, and the Morisky medication adherence scale. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS-22 software, employing the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, mean, standard deviation, univariate and multivariate regression analyses. The significance level was set at p ≤ 0.05. The mean age of participants was 67.56 ± 5.93 years. In the self-care questionnaire, the highest score pertained to adherence to the diet recommended by the treating physician (3.16 ± 1.87). In contrast, the lowest scores were related to the frequency of checking inside shoes (0.17 ± 0.93) and foot examination (0.31 ± 1.07), respectively. Furthermore, results in self-care behaviors indicated that with increasing education levels, self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) significantly decreased (P = 0.048). This variable was considerably higher in rural residents than in urban dwellers (P = 0.016). Additionally, the frequency of blood glucose measurements was significantly higher in urban residents than in rural inhabitants (p = 0.006). Based on the results, the mean score for medication adherence among patients was 5.53 ± 1.65. Based on our findings, the level of self-care in physical activity, SMBG, and foot care among the elderly is below average. Furthermore, medication adherence in these patients is poor. We expect that managers and policymakers take steps to reduce complications and improve these two variables by developing educational programs on self-care and emphasizing the importance of treatment adherence for these patients.

OBJECTIVE: Chronic kidney disease (CKD)-associated anaemia has substantial biopsychosocial impacts. This study explores the impact of CKD-associated anaemia and treatment preferences from the patient perspective.
METHODS: Cross-sectional survey.
METHODS: Anonymised online survey implemented by Ipsos UK on behalf of the National Kidney Federation and GSK from October 2022 to January 2023.
METHODS: Data were collected from UK adults living with CKD (self-reported).
METHODS: Outcome measures were exploratory and not predefined. The cross-sectional survey was designed to explore the biopsychosocial impact of living with anaemia on individuals with CKD; their unmet needs; the treatment strategies typically implemented and the associated barriers/facilitators to adherence; the healthcare professional-patient relationship with regard to anaemia diagnosis and management.
RESULTS: Of 101 participants, 90 (89%) were patients with CKD and 11 (11%) were informal carers. 96 (95%) participants reported symptom(s) relevant to their experience of CKD. 88 (87%) participants reported symptom(s) associated with anaemia and 61 (64%) expressed an impact on daily life including 18 (19%) unable to perform daily activities, 13 (14%) unable to go to work and 9 (9%) reporting poor social life/interactions. 85 (84%) participants reported they have received treatment for anaemia: intravenous iron (n=55, 54%), iron tablets (n=29, 29%), erythropoietin-stimulating agents (ESAs) via an autoinjector (n=28, 28%), ESA injections via a syringe (n=24, 24%), ESA injections via a dialysis machine (n=17, 17%), folic acid (n=22, 22%) and blood transfusion (n=17, 17%). Six of seven (86%) participants who received their ESA from a healthcare professional at home preferred injections whereas 13/27 (48%) participants who injected themselves at home preferred oral tablets.
CONCLUSIONS: There is not a \'one-size-fits-all\' approach to the management of CKD-associated anaemia. A personalised approach incorporating the treatment preferences of the individual should be explored when discussing treatment options.

UNASSIGNED: Monitoring the pharmacotherapy adherence in society is crucial for identifying occurance and causes of potential inadequate use of drugs and inform providers about the need for better customer counceling. It is necessary component of the strategic planning of the quality of healthcare services. This population- based study aimed to assess the medication intake adherence in the Republic of Serbia and the individual factors and health system variables influencing its pattern.
UNASSIGNED: We applied a cross-sectional approach to study medication intake adherence using a secondary analysis of the latest 2019 Serbian National Health Survey data. The statistical modeling of the pharmacotherapy adherence incorporated sociodemographic data, self-reported disease, and lifestyle behavior.
UNASSIGNED: In 2019, in the representative sample of 12,066 adults in Serbia, requiring prescribed medicine, 49.8% did comply with the prescribed drugs, and 50.2% do not. Participants who adhered to prescribed medication were significantly (p < 0.001) older (62.4 ± 14 years), predominantly female (55.3%), had secondary education (48.5%), resided in southern and eastern parts of Serbia (55.5%), and belonged to the lowest income quintile (21.4%). The participants most often take prescribed drugs for hypertension (64.1%) and lower back pain (30.5%), while around 20% take medication for coronary disease, diabetes mellitus, and high blood cholesterol. About 85-92% of participants with financial or general difficulties using prescribed medication.
UNASSIGNED: There is poor medication intake adherence to prescribed medication in Serbia. Gender, age, and region determine the adherence. Also, health-related and healthcare system-related factors impact the use of prescribed medication. Study findings can inform planning the counceling interventions in the target groups where improving medication adherence is necessary, as well as to enhance training of healthcare providers about pharmacotherapy adherence.