Yonsei Med J.  2020 May;61(5):406-415. 10.3349/ymj.2020.61.5.406.

Contribution of Personality Traits,Psychological Factors, and Health-Related Qualityof Life to Medication Adherence in Patientswith Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Ko KM
• Moon SJ
• Koh JH
• Pae CU
• Min JK

• KMID: 2500078
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2020.61.5.406

Abstract

Purpose
This study sought to investigate the associations between personality traits and medication adherence and to identify predictors of good medication adherence in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.
Materials and Methods
A total of 207 RA patients using disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs were invited for an interview and questionnaire study. Medication adherence was measured using the Compliance Questionnaire for Rheumatology (CQR). Personality traits were analyzed with the five-factor model of the Korean version of the Big Five Inventory 10. Psychological factors were assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, and British Columbia Cognitive Inventory. Health-related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and functional disability were evaluated with the EuroQoL-5 dimension questionnaire and Health Assessment Questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate predictors of good medication adherence.
Results
Nonadherence to medication was reported by 66.7%. The number of daily prescribed pills was higher in the medication adherence group than in the nonadherence group. Concomitant oral glucocorticoid doses were associated with medication adherence. A high level of conscientiousness and diabetes mellitus comorbidity were associated with better medication adherence [odds ratio (OR), 2.11; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01–4.38 and OR, 3.00; 95% CI, 1.12–8.07, respectively]. There were no significant differences in psychological factors or HRQoL between medication adherence and nonadherence groups.
Conclusion
The personality trait of conscientiousness was associated with medication adherence among the five personality traits evaluated. Patients with diabetes mellitus also showed higher medication adherence than those without this comorbidity.

Keyword

Medication adherence; patient compliance; rheumatoid arthritis; personality