An Overview on Causes of Nonadherence in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Its Effect on Mortality and Ways to Improve Adherence

Overview

Journal Cureus

Specialty Biomedical Engineering

Date 2022 Jun 2

PMID 35651472

Authors

Tutul Chowdhury

Jui Dutta

Pharlin Noel

Ratul Islam

Gael Gonzalez-Peltier

Samzorna Azad

Malavika Shankar

Aditya Keerthi Rayapureddy

Padmaja Deb Roy

Nicole Gousy

Khondokar N Hassan

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal disorders that, when insufficiently treated, results in detrimental sequelae including joint damage and reduced quality of life. Poor patient adherence to medication is a significant blockade to effective management. The purpose of this review is to highlight and discuss the factors responsible for defiance of antirheumatic medication and ways to overcome these barriers. Education level, health literacy, cohabitation status, multi-morbidities, complicated drug regimen, intermittent co-payments, prescribed regimen adverse effects, and cognitive impairment are a few among many common barrier factors leading to poorer outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis. While there is an abundance of inhibitory factors leading to worsening disease progression, they each can be easily dealt with an effective approach at the beginning or during the treatment course to ensure a better outcome.

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