The following is a summary of “Psychological reasons for non-adherence in chronically ill patients,” published in the June 2023 issue of the Psychosomatic Research by Bąk-Sosnowska et al.

Many long-term somatic disease patients do not adhere to medical recommendations, with psychological conditions among the causes. Researchers’ study sought to determine the psychological risk factors of non-adherence among patients with chronic illness. Participants comprised 768 adults (M = 57.11; SD = 15.77 years of age), with 520 females and 248 males. Cardiovascular (24%), musculoskeletal (24%), oncological (22%), obesity (20%), diabetes (9%), and multiple sclerosis (1%) were the most prevalent diseases. 

Investigators conducted a cross-sectional study using a diagnostic survey method and five questionnaires: The Medication Adherence Questionnaire (MAQ), the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale (MHLC), The Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS), and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). There were differences between adherent (N = 219) and non-adherent (N = 549) patients concerning sociodemographic and psychological variables. 

The risk of noncompliance increases 1.5 times in males compared to females (P<0.001); 1.05 times in individuals with a BMI decrease of 1 kg/m2 (P<0.05); 1.04 times with a reduction in MHLC-internal locus of control by one score (P<0.05); 1.03 times with an increase in CISS-emotional style by one point (P<0.01); 1.03 times with a decrease in MASS. In chronically ailing patients, psychological risk factors for medical non-adherence include a lower level of internal health locus of control and mindful attention and a higher level of emotional stress coping style.

Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022399923000971