Title:Satisfaction and Adherence to Biological Treatment in Patients with Rheumatic
Diseases
Volume: 18
Issue: 3
Author(s): Marwa Hammad*Huny Bakry
Affiliation:
- Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
Keywords:
Satisfaction, adherence, biological, rheumatic, therapy, disease.
Abstract:
Background: Autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases have long been treated by
conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. Biological therapy is a new era in the treatment
of rheumatic diseases, but satisfaction and adherence to it is still not well tested.
Aims: To assess the satisfaction and adherence to biological treatment among patients with autoimmune
inflammatory rheumatic diseases.
Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among 56 patients suffering from inflammatory
rheumatic diseases using Morisky 8 questionnaire and Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for
Medication (TSQM) over a period of one month.
Results: About 76.8 % of the patients had medium adherence and the underlying cause of missing
doses was the unavailability of the drugs. The mean satisfaction with biological treatment was
62.7±6.9. Patients who did not receive formal education had significantly higher satisfaction with
the biological treatment than others 64.94±5.01 at a P value 0.04 (<0.05).
Conclusion: Patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases in our study showed medium adherence
and satisfaction. Authorities in the medical field are providing great help to these patients in
need of biological therapy, but ensuring the availability of all doses of the biological treatment regimen
is still necessary. Patient, family and nurse education programs are also necessary to maximize
adherence and satisfaction.
