Patient Preference and Adherence (Aug 2021)

The Relationship Between COVID-19 Related Stress and Medication Adherence Among High-Risk Adults During the Acceleration Phase of the US Outbreak

  • Zhao C,
  • Batio S,
  • Lovett R,
  • Pack AP,
  • Wolf MS,
  • Bailey SC

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 15
pp. 1895 – 1902

Abstract

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Caroline Zhao, Stephanie Batio, Rebecca Lovett, Allison P Pack, Michael S Wolf, Stacy C Bailey Division of General Internal Medicine & Geriatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USACorrespondence: Stacy C BaileyDivision of General Internal Medicine & Geriatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 750 N. Lake Shore Drive, 10th Floor, Chicago, IL, 60611, USATel +1 312-503-5595Fax +1 312-503-2777Email [email protected]: To assess the relationship between stress regarding COVID-19 and medication adherence.Patients and Methods: Older adults with ≥ 1 chronic condition(s) were recruited from 4 active, federally funded studies in Chicago to participate in a longitudinal telephone survey. Participants self-reported stress regarding COVID-19 in the last week. Adherence was measured via the ASK-12 survey.Results: Most participants reported feeling stressed “some of the time” (54.0%), while 18.2% felt stressed “most” or “all of the time” and 27.8% “never” felt stressed. In bivariate analyses, participants who reported being stressed “most” or “all of the time” had worse medication adherence than participants who reported being stressed “some of the time” or “never” (p < 0.001). In multivariable analyses, participants who reported feeling stressed “most” or “all of the time” had worse adherence than those who “never” felt stressed (Adjusted Least Square Mean (Standard Error): 21.3 (0.6) vs 19.7 (0.6), p=0.01).Conclusion: Stress due to COVID-19 has significantly impacted medication adherence, which has negative implications for the course of both COVID-19 and comorbid conditions. Healthcare providers should be aware of the potential impact of COVID-19 on patients’ mental and physical well-being and consider ways to routinely assess patient experiences.Keywords: COVID-19, stress, medication adherence, comorbidity

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