Factors Associated with Non-Adherence to Drugs in Patients with Chronic Diseases Who Go to Pharmacies in Spain

Carmen Valdés y Llorca, Ernesto Cortés Castell, José Manuel Ribera Casado, Pilar de Lucas Ramos, José Luis Casteig Ayestarán, Amaia Casteig Blanco, Vicente Francisco Gil Guillén and Mercedes Rizo Baeza
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Carmen Valdés y Llorca: Medical School, Miguel Hernández University, San Juan de Alicante, 03550 Alicante, Spain
Ernesto Cortés Castell: Medical School, Miguel Hernández University, San Juan de Alicante, 03550 Alicante, Spain
José Manuel Ribera Casado: Medical School, Miguel Hernández University, San Juan de Alicante, 03550 Alicante, Spain
Pilar de Lucas Ramos: Medical School, Miguel Hernández University, San Juan de Alicante, 03550 Alicante, Spain
José Luis Casteig Ayestarán: Medical School, Miguel Hernández University, San Juan de Alicante, 03550 Alicante, Spain
Amaia Casteig Blanco: Medical School, Miguel Hernández University, San Juan de Alicante, 03550 Alicante, Spain
Vicente Francisco Gil Guillén: Medical School, Miguel Hernández University, San Juan de Alicante, 03550 Alicante, Spain
Mercedes Rizo Baeza: Medical School, Miguel Hernández University, San Juan de Alicante, 03550 Alicante, Spain

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 8, 1-9

Abstract: Background. Pharmacological non-adherence in chronic diseases is 40–65%. No predictive profile of non-adherence exists in patients with multiple chronic diseases. Our study aimed to quantify the prevalence of non-adherence to pharmacological treatment and its associated factors in patients who visit pharmacies in Spain. Methods. This observational cross-sectional study included patients with one or more chronic diseases. The variables analyzed were demographics, diseases involved, self-medication, information about disease, and lifestyle. The main variable was adherence using the Morisky–Green test. A total of 132 pharmacies collaborated, providing 6327 patients representing all Spain regions (April–December 2016). Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was calculated. Results. Non-adherence was 48.4% (95% confidence interval (CI): 47.2–49.7%). The variables that reached significance in the multivariate model were: difficulty in taking medication, self-medication, desire for more information, smoking, lower physical activity, younger age and number of chronic treatments. Discrimination was satisfactory (area under the ROC curve = 70%). Our study found that 50% patients was non-adherent and we obtained a profile of variables associated with therapeutic non-adherence. Conclusions. It is cause for concern that in patients with multiple diseases and taking multiple medications, there is an association between non-adherence, self-medication and worse lifestyle.

Keywords: non-adherence; chronic diseases; pharmacological treatment; associated factors (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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