Barriers and strategies to medication adherence amongst people with multiple sclerosis and cognitive problems.
Mult Scler Relat Disord
; 88: 105727, 2024 Aug.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38905992
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Adherence to disease-modifying treatment (DMT) amongst people with multiple sclerosis (MS) varies greatly. Although research often identifies 'forgetting' as a reason for poor adherence, few studies have considered how cognitive problems impact adherence.OBJECTIVES:
To investigate prevalence of and barriers to adherence, including for people with MS-related cognitive problems, and to identify adherence-related strategies.METHODS:
Recruited via the UK MS Register and MS Society groups, participants completed a Medication Adherence Questionnaire and the Perceived Deficits Questionnaire. A subset were interviewed.RESULTS:
Of 257 participants, 94 % reported being adherent, although 59 % missed ≥1 dose, and 25 % reported cognitive problems. Adherence was lower amongst those with cognitive problems, who experienced more barriers memory problems; negative feelings about taking medication; and not wanting medication to interfere with activities. Such barriers, along with mood, cognition, and method of DMT administration, explained 17 % of variance in adherence, with intravenous treatment a significant predictor. Cognitive problems explained a unique proportion of variance; however, was non-significant when anxiety was factored in. Interviews highlighted how anxiety about side-effects and injections, and difficulties accepting the diagnosis, hindered use of reminders.CONCLUSION:
Interventions for cognition and mood problems, minimising treatment burden and supporting adjustment to diagnosis, may improve adherence.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Medication Adherence
/
Multiple Sclerosis
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
En
Journal:
Mult Scler Relat Disord
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
United kingdom
Country of publication:
Netherlands