Factors influencing medication adherence among patients with idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease in Greece and Cyprus: a cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Objective: . Aim: To examine the level of medication adherence among individuals diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Greece and Cyprus and assess the demographic, clinical, and psychosocial variables affecting it.

Patients and methods: Materials and Methods: An anonymous self-administered questionnaire was administered to adult patients attending hospitals and treatment centers in Greece and Cyprus.

Results: Results: From the total of 150 participants, 48.7% of patients took their medication when they had no symptoms, compared to 84% of symptomatic patients. For almost half of the patients, the main reason for non-adherence was daily obligations, while for 40.7% the reported reason was treatment-related side effects. 51.3% of the patients stated that they didn't require any assistance or reminders to improve their adherence. Adherence and reasons for not regularly taking medications were associated with sex, age, type, and duration of the disease as well as the type of treatment received.

Conclusion: Conclusions: According to the findings of our study, patients perceived various obstacles, such as daily obligations and the side effects of prescribed drugs, which hindered their adherence to treatment. Adherence levels were found to be associated with demographic, disease-related, and treatment-related factors. These results underscore the importance of implementing timely and targeted interventions to enhance treatment adherence among patients with IBD.