Therapeutic adherence and coping strategies in patients with multiple sclerosis

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating autoimmune disorder affecting the central nervous system and targets the myelin sheaths around nerves. Local problem: Medical advances have enabled patients to lead a better quality of life (QoL) than before. However, because of its chronicity and unpredictability, it remains a very challenging disease for both patients and their families, as it involves the continued use of medication to slow down progression. The aim of this study is to assess drug adherence in patients with MS. In particular, we will examine how the way drugs are administered (oral or injective) affects compliance with therapy, including the correlation with coping strategies and the QoL of each patient. We enrolled 88 patients with MS, divided into 2 groups according to therapy (injective or oral). The Morisky Medication Adherence scale was administered to evaluate adherence to treatment, the MS QoL 54 to estimate mental and physical health, and Brief coping orientation to problems experienced Inventory for coping strategies. The results showed that in both groups the patients showed a good therapeutic alliance and trust in treatment. In particular, a correlation has been found between therapeutic adherence, adaptive coping strategies, and mental health when drug therapy is administered by injection. In conclusion, this result suggests that for patients receiving injection treatment to have greater adherence to therapy, appropriate coping strategies and good mental health must be developed in order for patients receiving injection therapy to have greater adherence to therapy; they need to develop appropriate coping strategies and good mental health to address this mode of administration successfully.

Psychological Biomarkers and Fibrosis: An Innovative Approach to Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

“…Indeed, in the study by Vilar-Gómez et al (41), just 10% of patients lost 10% of body weight in spite of including behavioral meeting bimonthly. Keeping in mind the influence that variables such as QoL (42), mental health (43), coping strategies (44), or perceived social support (45) exert on therapeutic adherence, the biopsychosocial risk factors found in this study could be associated with a negative impact on adherence to intervention guidelines in NAFLD patients. A structured psychological intervention could therefore improve therapeutic adherence and, as a consequence, the patient's clinical evolution (46), requiring special attention those patients with a low social support, significant fibrosis, or of the female sex due to their greater tendency to show a higher-risk biopsychosocial profile.…”

Coping strategies: Seeking personalized care in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. A patient reported measure–coping responses inventory

“…Furthermore, as far as different treatments are concerned, patients who implement active coping strategies are more likely to exhibit greater adherence to treatment with injectable drugs than those who rely on emotion-focused strategies. 15 …”

“…Furthermore, as far as different treatments are concerned, patients who implement active coping strategies are more likely to exhibit greater adherence to treatment with injectable drugs than those who rely on emotion-focused strategies. 15 To date, there are no studies in Argentina focused on coping styles adopted by PwMS and the influence these styles may have on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). There are several coping measurement instruments available, among which the "Ways of Coping Checklist", 16 "Coping with Health, Injuries and Problems Scale", 17 "Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations" 18 and "Coping Responses Inventory (CRI-A)" 8 instruments stand out.…”

Transdiagnostic treatment of emotional disorders in people with multiple sclerosis: randomized controlled trial

“…For people with MS (PwMS), the risk of being affected by an emotional disorder (such as depression, anxiety, anger, euphoria) is higher than healthy populations and other chronic conditions [ 2 ]. Depression, experienced by up to 50% of PwMS, can negatively impact functioning, disability, pharmacological therapy adherence, and suicidal ideation [ 3 , 4 ]. In addition to specific-disorder, psychological comorbidity is common in PWMS and is correlated with a greater disability over time [ 5 ].…”