Patient Preference and Adherence (Jul 2020)

Illness Perception and Medication Adherence Among Patients with Primary Hypothyroidism in Al Qassim, Saudi Arabia

  • Alluhayyan OB,
  • Alsahly RJ,
  • Aldawsari AA,
  • Alghabawy KA,
  • Alqaan RS,
  • Almutairi AF,
  • Alharbi SA

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 14
pp. 1111 – 1117

Abstract

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Omar Buraykan Alluhayyan,1 Rakan Jaser Alsahly,2 Abdulrahman Abbas Aldawsari,2 Khaled Abdulrahman Alghabawy,1 Rifal Saleh Alqaan,1 Abeer Fahad Almutairi,1 Saleh Ali Alharbi3 1College of Medicine, Qassim University, Al Qassim, Saudi Arabia; 2College of Medicine, Majmaah University, Majmaah, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Family and Community Medicine, King Saud Hospital, Al Qassim, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Omar Buraykan AlluhayyanQassim University, Al Qassim, Saudi ArabiaTel +966 594474177Email [email protected]: Poor adherence to levothyroxine is a potential risk factor for treatment failure that ultimately leads to increased healthcare costs and serious health outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between illness perception and medication adherence among primary hypothyroidism patients.Patients and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey among primary hypothyroidism patients who met the inclusion criteria in the Qassim region of Saudi Arabia using a questionnaire with demographic characteristics, clinical factors, the 12-Item Medication Adherence Scale, and the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ). We included 400 patients in the analysis.Results: We found a significant positive correlation between BIPQ subscales – personal control, treatment control, and understanding – with all domains of the 12-Item Medication Adherence Scale. The other dimensions of BIPQ subscales did not significantly correlate with medication adherence. However, a high BIPQ overall score was significantly correlated with poor medication adherence.Conclusion: This study found a significant correlation between a high BIPQ overall score and poor medication adherence. This finding suggests the need to consider the emotional and cognitive representation of hypothyroidism in hypothyroid patients to improve their treatment adherence.Keywords: hypothyroidism, levothyroxine, medication adherence, illness perception

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