The aim of this present study was to investigate the pharmacological treatment adherence of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, attended in an outpatient pharmacy at a tertiary hospital in northeastern Brazil.
When a clinically
heterogeneous group of patients suffer with arthritis of unknown cause, with
more than six weeks’ duration that starts up to 16 years old, it is said to be considered
as juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). The results of this result lead to the
identification and understanding of different aspects related to the current
scenario of adherence to pharmacological treatment for JIA.
The aim of this
present study was to investigate the pharmacological treatment adherence of
patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, attended in an outpatient pharmacy
at a tertiary hospital in northeastern Brazil.
The analysis of
adherence was performed along with caregivers, through a structured
questionnaire based on Morisky, Green and Levine, which enabled the
categorization of adherence in “highest”, “moderate” or “low” grades, and
through evaluating medication dispensing registers, which classified the act of
getting medications at the pharmacy as “regular” or “irregular”. Drug Related
Problems (DRP) were identified through the narrative of caregivers and
classified according to the Second Granada Consensus. Then, a pharmaceutical
orientation chart with information about the therapeutic regimen was applied,
in order to function as a guide for issues that influenced adherence.
A total of 43
patients was included, with a mean age of 11.12 years, and 65.1% (n = 28) were
female. Applying the questionnaire, it was found “highest” adherence in 46.5%
(n = 20) patients, “moderate” adherence in 48.8% (n = 21), and “low” adherence
in 4.7% (n = 2). Through an analysis of the medication dispensing registers, a
lower level of adherence was observed: only 25.6% (n = 11) of the participants
received “regularly” the medications. Twenty-six DRP was identified, and 84.6%
(n = 22) were classified as real. There were no significant associations
between socio-demographic variables and adherence, although some caregivers
have reported difficulty in accessing the medicines and in understanding the
treatment.
Our findings
showed problems in the adherence process related to inattention, forgetfulness
and irregularity in getting medicines, reinforcing the need for the development
of strategies to facilitate a better understanding of treatment and to ensure
adherence.
Rev Bras Reumatol. 2016 Mar 8
Medication adherence in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis
Liana Silveira Adriano et al.
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