Factors associated with adherence to treatment in Iranian patients with inflammatory bowel disease

In this study, we investigated several socioeconomic, clinical, and psychological factors associated with medication adherence in a sample of Iranian patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

This study was conducted on 110 IBD patients from 2013 to 2014 in Isfahan, Iran. The patients were invited to complete three anonymous questionnaires including the Hospital and Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS) for assessing the levels of anxiety and depression; IBD Questionnaire‑Short Form (IBDQ‑9) for the quality of life; and a visual analog scale assessing the medication adherence. A self‑assessment adherence rate of more than 80% was considered “appropriate adherence.”

Overall, 99 patients completed the questionnaires. Among them, 77.8% reportedly adhered to their medications. There was no statistical difference between adherence and nonadherence rates in terms of gender, educational status, disease type, disease severity, and family history of IBD. Conversely, single patients (100% vs. 74.1%; P = 0.03), nonsmokers (79.4% vs. 0.0%; P = 0.04), patients receiving immunosuppressive drugs (100% vs. 71.9%; P = 0.01), and corticosteroids (95.1% vs. 65.5%; P = 0.01) were more likely to be adhered than their counterparts. No differences emerged in terms of the mean HADS scores in either of the sexes. The mean IBDQ‑9 score was significantly higher in adhered patients only in females (31.08 ± 11.6 vs. 24.7 ± 9.1; P = 0.04) but not in males.

The adherence rate in our study is almost similar to developed countries. Single marital status, not smoking, receiving corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs, and higher IBDQ‑9 score in females are associated with higher adherence rate.