The impact of motivational interviewing on adherence and symptom severity in adolescents and young adults with chronic illness: A systematic review

ObjectiveGiven the negative consequences associated with non-adherence in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with chronic illness, it is important to identify interventions to address this issue. Therefore, this review’s primary objective is to evaluate the impact of motivational interviewing (MI) on adherence and symptom level/severity in AYAs with chronic illness using a modified Cochrane method.MethodFour databases (e.g., CINAHL, Medline, PsychINFO, and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts) were systematically reviewed. 121 articles were identified in the initial search. Article eligibility was assessed on two tiers using the inclusion criteria.ResultsTwelve articles were retained for data extraction. Diabetes, asthma, and HIV were the most common chronic illness populations examined in the study. Eleven of the twelve articles provided support for either improved adherence, symptom reduction, or a combination of both after participants received MI. Quality of life was also enhanced in three studies.ConclusionBecause adherence and symptom levels were positively impacted, it appears that MI may be a promising intervention for AYAs with chronic illness in addressing non-adherence and potentially improving quality of life.Practice implicationsHealthcare providers should consider implementing MI in their practice to establish rapport and potentially improve long-term health outcomes for AYAs with chronic illness.     

Self-management of chronic illness: the role of ‘habit’ versus reflective factors in exercise and medication adherence

Non-adherence to health behaviors required for chronic illness self-management is pervasive. Advancing health-behavior theory to include behavioral initiation and maintenance factors, including reflective (e.g., belief- and feedback-based) and automatic (e.g., habit-based) mechanisms of adherence to different treatment-related behaviors could improve non-adherence prediction and intervention efforts. To test behavioral initiation and maintenance factors from an extended common sense self-regulation theoretical framework for predicting medication adherence and physical activity among patients with Type 2 diabetes. Patients (n = 133) in an in-person (n = 80) or online (n = 53) version of the study reported treatment-related (1) barriers, (2) beliefs and experiential feedback (reflective mechanisms of treatment-initiation and short-term repetition), and (3) habit strength (automatic mechanism of treatment-maintenance) for taking medication and engaging in regular physical activity at baseline. Behaviors were assessed via self-reports (n = 133) and objectively (electronic monitoring pill bottles, accelerometers; n = 80) in the subsequent month. Treatment-specific barriers and habit strength predicted self-reported and objective adherence for both behaviors. Beliefs were inconsistently related to behavior, even when habits were “weak”. Experiential feedback from behavior was not related to adherence. Among patients with Type 2 diabetes diagnosis, medication and physical activity adherence were better predicted by their degree of automatic behavioral repetition than their beliefs/experiences with the treatment-actions. Habit strength should be an intervention target for chronic illness self-management; assessing it in practice settings may effectively detect non-adherence to existing treatment-regimens. However, future research and further refining of CS-SRM theory regarding the processes required for such habit development are needed.     

A systematic review of the barriers and facilitators to adherence to mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for those with chronic conditions

Purpose

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) can improve the lives of those with a chronic condition and psychological distress, however, high drop-out rates limit benefits. MBCT might be a candidate treatment for this population if nonadherence can be overcome. This review explores the existing literature on the barriers and facilitators to adherence to MBCT for those with chronic conditions.

Method

Databases MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Scopus were searched between 28^th May and 11th June 2021. We included empirical papers that identified barriers and/or facilitators to MBCT adherence in patients with chronic conditions—excluding non-English and grey literature. Papers were screened and duplicates removed. Extracted data included: setting, design, aim, sample-size, population and identified barriers/facilitators to MBCT adherence. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) was adapted and used to appraise the quality of studies

Results

Twenty papers were eligible for review. Synthesis identified six themes (in prevalence order): (1) Practical Factors (e.g., time and other commitments), (2) Motivation (e.g., change-readiness), (3) Patient clinical and demographic characteristics (e.g., current physical health), (4) Connection with Others (facilitators and group members), (5) Credibility (perception of the intervention) and (6) Content difficulty (intervention accessibility). Findings highlight potential adaptations to implementation (e.g., clear treatment rationale, preference matching, and eliciting and responding to individual concerns or obstructive assumptions) that could address barriers and harness facilitators.

Conclusion

This review contributes a higher order understanding of factors that may support/obstruct client adherence to MBCT with implications for future implementation in research and practice. Future research should prioritize open exploration of barriers/facilitators.     

Stability of adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy over time among clients enrolled in the treatment adherence demonstration project

Adherence to antiretroviral medications is essential to therapeutic success. Many published studies have investigated the degree of adherence or nonadherence, but sample sizes have generally been small, and adherence has seldom been viewed as a longitudinal process. This paper investigates the stability of adherence over time among HIV-infected individuals attending adherence support programs in New York State. The study cohort consists of 435 clients who were on HAART at baseline and who completed at least 2 follow-up interviews. Although cross-sectional nonadherence did not exceed 35%, nonadherence reached 54% when considered across all 3 interviews. Analysis of transition matricies revealed moderate stability in adherence over time (e.g., first follow-up adherence was 81.0% for clients adherent at baseline, compared with 58.3% for clients nonadherent at baseline). Second-order transition matricies offered additional predictive utility. Multivariate results indicated that, for some, it was the transition from a desirable to an undesirable state (e.g., from no illicit drug use to illicit drug use) that increased the likelihood of nonadherence, rather than the presence of these characteristics over time. Findings illustrate the importance of multiple, periodic assessments of adherence and the need to consider strategies to increase stability in the factors affecting adherence to HAART.     

Predictors of self-reported antidepressant adherence

The authors' objectives of this research were: (1) to assess levels of selfreported antidepressant adherence and reasons for nonadherence and (2) to investigate determinants of nonadherence. A group of general hospital and community psychiatry practice mood disorder outpatients (n=80) took a self-report questionnaire that assessed beliefs about antidepressants, self-efficacy, and reasons for nonadherence. High levels of adherence were reported: 58 patients (73%) indicated they took their medication as directed more than 80% of the time. Practical issues (e.g., simply forgetting or a change in routine) were the most frequently identified reasons for nonadherence. Patients were more likely to report nonadherence if they experienced a sexual side effect, had lower self-efficacy, were female, and had not completed post-secondary education. Clinicians should be cognizant of this complexity and address not only issues related to medication efficacy and tolerability, but also social mediators and health beliefs when prescribing antidepressants.     

Explaining variability in therapist adherence and patient depressive symptom improvement: The role of therapist interpersonal skills and patient engagement

Understanding why therapists deviate from a treatment manual is crucial to interpret the mixed findings on the adherence–outcome association. The current study aims to examine whether therapists' interpersonal behaviours and patients' active engagement predict treatment outcome and therapist adherence in cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy (MBCT) for depressive symptoms. In addition, the study explores rater's explanations for therapist nonadherence at sessions in which therapist adherence was low. Study participants were 61 patients with diabetes and depressive symptoms who were randomized to either CBT or MBCT. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory‐II. Therapist adherence, therapist interpersonal skills (i.e., empathy, warmth, and involvement), patients' active engagement, and reasons for nonadherence were assessed by two independent raters (based on digital video recordings). Therapist adherence, therapists' interpersonal skills, and patients' active engagement did not predict posttreatment depressive symptom reduction. Patients' active engagement was positively associated with therapist adherence in CBT and in MBCT. This indicates that adherence may be hampered when patients are not actively engaged in treatment. Observed reasons for nonadherence mostly covered responses to patient's in‐session behaviour. The variety of reasons for therapist nonadherence might explain why therapist adherence was not associated with outcomes of CBT and MBCT.     

A systematic review of IT for diabetes self-management: Are we there yet?

BackgroundRecent advances in information technology (IT) coupled with the increased ubiquitous nature of information technology (IT) present unique opportunities for improving diabetes self-management. The objective of this paper is to determine, in a systematic review, how IT has been used to improve self-management for adults with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.MethodsThe review covers articles extracted from relevant databases using search terms related information technology and diabetes self-management published after 1970 until August 2012. Additional articles were extracted using the citation map in Web of Science. Articles representing original research describing the use of IT as an enabler for self-management tasks performed by the patient are included in the final analysis.ResultsOverall, 74% of studies showed some form of added benefit, 13% articles showed no-significant value provided by IT, and 13% of articles did not clearly define the added benefit due to IT. Information technologies used included the Internet (47%), cellular phones (32%), telemedicine (12%), and decision support techniques (9%). Limitations and research gaps identified include usability, real-time feedback, integration with provider electronic medical record (EMR), as well as analytics and decision support capabilities.ConclusionThere is a distinct need for more comprehensive interventions, in which several technologies are integrated in order to be able to manage chronic conditions such as diabetes. Such IT interventions should be theoretically founded and should rely on principles of user-centered and socio-technical design in its planning, design and implementation. Moreover, the effectiveness of self-management systems should be assessed along multiple dimensions: motivation for self-management, long-term adherence, cost, adoption, satisfaction and outcomes as a final result.     

Predictors of Self-Reported Antidepressant Adherence

The authors' objectives of this research were: (1) to assess levels of selfreported antidepressant adherence and reasons for nonadherence and (2) to investigate determinants of nonadherence. A group of general hospital and community psychiatry practice mood disorder outpatients (n = 80) took a selfreport questionnaire that assessed beliefs about antidepressants, self-efficacy, and reasons for nonadherence. High levels of adherence were reported: 58 patients (73%) indicated they took their medication as directed more than 80% of the time. Practical issues (e.g., simply forgetting or a change in routine) were the most frequently identified reasons for nonadherence. Patients were more likely to report nonadherence if they experienced a sexual side effect, had lower self-efficacy, were female, and had not completed post-secondary education. Clinicians should be cognizant of this complexity and address not only issues related to medication efficacy and tolerability, but also social mediators and health beliefs when prescribing antidepressants.     

Resources for Health: A Social-Ecological Intervention for Supporting Self-management of Chronic Conditions

There is a pressing need for practical interventions to support self-management of chronic illness that can be integrated with primary care, and that take into account the patient's social environment. This pilot study was conducted with low-income clients of a community health center and focused on enhancing use of social-environmental resources supportive of self-management. Twenty-eight patients having at least one chronic illness, randomized to immediate versus delayed treatment conditions, met once with a health educator to develop a self-management plan, and received one follow-up phone call and two newsletters. Significant improvements in use of community resources, minutes of physical activity, and medication adherence were obtained compared to control. Integrating brief self-management counseling with social environmental support appeared effective, although much more can be done to better link counseling to primary care practice.     

A self-management approach to improving continuous positive airway pressure adherence and outcomes

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a condition with serious medical and psychosocial consequences. Low patient adherence to nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) limits the effectiveness of treatment. Intervention studies based on intensive support protocols have shown modest improvement in CPAP adherence; however, this approach would require significant resources and effort for integration into the existing U.S. health care system. The purpose of this article is to describe the self-management approach to chronic illness, justify the self-management approach as applied to sleep apnea patients prescribed CPAP, and to report initial pilot data on feasibility and efficacy of the Sleep Apnea Self-Management Program. CPAP adherence measured at the end of the 4-session program averaged 5.5 ± 2.3 hr per night. The Sleep Apnea Self-Management Program (SASMP) has the potential to be an effective and practical way to improve CPAP adherence and is designed for integration into current OSA clinical processes.     

Treatment-related factors and highly active antiretroviral therapy adherence

Adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) plays a critical role in the effectiveness of HIV treatment. Nevertheless, the complexity of regimens and frequent side effects make HAART extraordinarily difficult to take, and many HIV-infected persons fail to adhere. The current study offers an overview of the relationship between adherence and antiretroviral treatment-related variables. As for other chronic diseases, medication regimen complexity also has an impact on adherence in the management of HIV infection. In particular, the authors discuss the effect of pill burden, dosing frequency, dietary instructions, number and type of different medications prescribed, short- and long-term side effects, convenience, and ability to incorporate the treatment regimen into a daily routine. Medication side effects are common in HAART-treated persons and are associated with concurrent and future nonadherence. Simplification of regimens, adjustment of the drug schedule to the patient's specific lifestyle, and anticipation and self-management of side effects are treatment-based strategies to optimize HAART adherence and ensure the most effective, convenient, safe, and well-tolerated antiretroviral treatment.     

What do we know about mobile applications for diabetes self-management? A review of reviews

Diabetes is a chronic illness with significant health consequences, especially for those who are unable to adhere to the complex treatment regimen. Self-management tasks such as regular medication and insulin use, frequent blood sugar checks, strict diet management, and consistent exercise can be quite challenging. Mobile technologies, specifically mobile applications (apps), present a unique opportunity to help patients improve adherence to these behaviors. The availability of commercial diabetes self-management apps is increasing rapidly, making it difficult for patients and providers to stay informed about app options. A number of reviews have described commercial app technology and use for patients with diabetes. The aims of this article are to summarize the results and themes of those reviews, to review outcomes of apps described in the research literature, and to identify areas for further consideration in the use of mobile apps for diabetes self-management.     

Adherence to colposcopy among women with HIV infection

In the general population, nonadherence to the recommendation to have colposcopy in women with abnormal cytologic smears is estimated at 30% to 80%, but studies have failed to identify consistent risk factors for nonadherence. The purpose of this analysis is to assess adherence to colposcopy in a subset of participants in the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS), an ongoing multisite longitudinal study of HIV infection in women in the United States and determine factors associated with nonadherence. Identification of such predictors would be useful in designing strategies to improve adherence in this group. METHODS: Adherence to colposcopy was examined in a cohort of 462 women with, or at risk for, HIV infection with abnormal cervical cytology on entry into WIHS. Adherence was defined as having colposcopy done within 6 months of an abnormal cytology result. RESULTS: Overall adherence to colposcopy was 65% (302 of 462). A multivariate logistic regression model revealed that the odds of adherence were significantly lower for the women who were HIV-infected (p = .011), current crack/cocaine users (p = .040), ever too ill to get medical care (p = .033), not recruited by WIHS study staff (p = .004), and less concerned about the care of their children (p = .037). Among HIV-seropositive women, low CD4 counts, high viral loads, and presence of AIDS-defining illness were not predictive of nonadherence. DISCUSSION: Adherence to colposcopy among WIHS participants was at the upper limit of the reported range in the United States. Chemical dependency and domestic violence may negatively impact on colposcopy adherence whereas supportive study personnel, having health insurance, and concerns about raising one's children appear to be motivators for adherence to colposcopy in this study. HIV infection was a risk factor for nonadherence, but markers of advanced disease were not predictive of nonadherence.     

Personal discovery in diabetes self-management: Discovering cause and effect using self-monitoring data

ObjectiveTo outline new design directions for informatics solutions that facilitate personal discovery with self-monitoring data. We investigate this question in the context of chronic disease self-management with the focus on type 2 diabetes.Materials and methodsWe conducted an observational qualitative study of discovery with personal data among adults attending a diabetes self-management education (DSME) program that utilized a discovery-based curriculum. The study included observations of class sessions, and interviews and focus groups with the educator and attendees of the program (n = 14).ResultsThe main discovery in diabetes self-management evolved around discovering patterns of association between characteristics of individuals’ activities and changes in their blood glucose levels that the participants referred to as “cause and effect”. This discovery empowered individuals to actively engage in self-management and provided a desired flexibility in selection of personalized self-management strategies. We show that discovery of cause and effect involves four essential phases: (1) feature selection, (2) hypothesis generation, (3) feature evaluation, and (4) goal specification. Further, we identify opportunities to support discovery at each stage with informatics and data visualization solutions by providing assistance with: (1) active manipulation of collected data (e.g., grouping, filtering and side-by-side inspection), (2) hypotheses formulation (e.g., using natural language statements or constructing visual queries), (3) inference evaluation (e.g., through aggregation and visual comparison, and statistical analysis of associations), and (4) translation of discoveries into actionable goals (e.g., tailored selection from computable knowledge sources of effective diabetes self-management behaviors).DiscussionThe study suggests that discovery of cause and effect in diabetes can be a powerful approach to helping individuals to improve their self-management strategies, and that self-monitoring data can serve as a driving engine for personal discovery that may lead to sustainable behavior changes.ConclusionsEnabling personal discovery is a promising new approach to enhancing chronic disease self-management with informatics interventions.     

Incidence and factors associated with medication nonadherence in patients with mental illness: A cross-sectional study

Background:

In spite of the progress made in the treatment of psychiatric disorders during the last few decades, nonadherence continues to be a frequent phenomenon, often associated with potentially severe clinical consequences and increased health-care costs. There are numerous factors associated with medication nonadherence in patients with mental illness. The aim of the study was to determine the incidence and factors associated with medication nonadherence among psychiatric outpatients.

Materials and Methods:

A cross-sectional study was carried out in the outpatient psychiatric department of an Indian tertiary care private hospital over a period of 1 year. Patients aged 18 years and above who presented with mental illness as diagnosed by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 and who were receiving at least one psychotropic medication for at least 1 month were included in the study. Medication adherence was assessed using the Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS).

Results:

Of the 400 patients, 172 (43%) were nonadherent to their prescribed medications. There is a statistically significant association between the education (P = 0.001), number of drugs (P = 0.002), family income (P = 0.013), and nonadherence. Among the 172 patients, 33.5 % were nonadherent to their therapy due to patient-related factors followed by drug-related factors (32%) and disease-related factors (31%).

Conclusion:

The overall incidence of medication nonadherence in patients with mental illness was 43%. Numerous factors contributed to medication nonadherence. Strategies need to be developed and implemented to enhance medication adherence, and thereby achieve a better therapeutic outcome in patients with mental illness.KEY WORDS: Factors, incidence, mental illness, nonadherence, outpatients     

Patient-by-treatment context interaction in chronic disease: a conceptual framework for the study of patient adherence

OBJECTIVE: Previous reviews have concluded that there is little or no evidence supporting a predictable association between patient characteristics and regimen adherence in chronic illness. The primary objective of this article is to propose an alternative conceptual framework for the interpretation and design of adherence research. METHODS: The author's research involving adherence among patients with end-stage renal disease is reviewed and used to illustrate the patient-by-context interactive framework. RESULTS: Adherence is most favorable when the patient's characteristic or preferred style of coping with illness and treatment-related experiences is congruent with the contextual features or demands of the particular type of medical intervention the patient is undergoing. Among patients with end-stage renal disease, a more vigilant or active style of coping is associated with more favorable adherence only for patients undergoing home-based dialysis treatment modalities that are highly patient directed. Among patients receiving hospital-based, provider-controlled treatment, a less vigilant or more passive coping style is associated with more favorable dialysis regimen adherence. CONCLUSIONS: The patient-by-context interactive perspective can provide a useful framework for the interpretation and design of adherence research.     

Commentary: A Practical Guide for Translating Basic Research on Affective Science to Implementing Physiology in Clinical Child and Adolescent Assessments

The National Institute of Mental Health recently launched the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC). RDoC is a framework that facilitates the dimensional assessment and classification of processes relevant to mental health (e.g., affect, regulation, cognition, social affiliation), as reflected in measurements across multiple units of analysis (e.g., physiology, circuitry, genes, self-reports). A key focus of RDoC involves opening new lines of research examining patients’ responses on biological measures, with the key goal of developing new therapeutic techniques that effectively target mechanisms of mental disorders. Yet applied researchers and practitioners rarely use biological measures within mental health assessments, which may present challenges in translating RDoC-guided research into improvements in patient care. Thus, if RDoC is to result in research that yields clinical tools that reduce the burden of mental illness and improve public health, we ought to develop strategies for effectively implementing biological measures in the context of clinical assessments. In this special issue, we sought to provide an initial step in this direction by assembling a collection of articles from leading research teams carrying out pioneering work on implementing multimodal assessments (biological, subjective, behavioral) of affective processes in applied settings. In this commentary, we expand upon the work presented in this special issue by making a series of suggestions for how to most parsimoniously conduct multimodal assessments of affective processes in applied research and clinical settings. We hope that this approach will facilitate translations of the RDoC framework into applied research and clinic settings.     

The impact of medication regimen factors on adherence to chronic treatment: a review of literature

This article reviews recent literature in chronic illness or long-term health management including asthma, contraception, diabetes, HIV disease, and hypertension/cardiovascular disease, mental disorders, pain, and other diseases to determine the relationship between regimen factors and adherence to medications. The authors conducted an electronic literature search to detect articles published between 1998 and 2007. Articles were included if they pertained to a chronic illness or to contraception, included a clear definition of how adherence was measured, and included regimen factors as primary or secondary explanatory variables. Methodology of the studies varied greatly, as did methods of measuring adherence and regimen factors. Surprisingly few of these articles concerned (1) chronic treatment, (2) regimen factors such as dosing, pill burden, and regimen complexity, and (3) adherence measured in a clear manner. Most studies failed to use state-of-the-art methods of measuring adherence. Despite these flaws, a suggestive pattern of the importance of regimen factors, specifically dose frequency and regimen complexity, emerged from this review.     

Correlates and predictors of adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy: overview of published literature

Knowledge of factors associated with medication adherence could help HIV clinicians to target persons in need of intervention, design these interventions, and help researchers to plan studies of adherence. This review summarizes the results of 20 studies investigating the issue of barriers to optimal highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) adherence. Only a few determinants were consistently associated with nonadherence. Symptoms and adverse drug effects, psychologic distress, lack of social or family support, complexity of the HAART regimen, low patient self-efficacy, and inconvenience of treatment were the factors most consistently associated with nonadherence. There were inconsistent findings regarding the relationship of adherence and the following variables: sociodemographic characteristics, substance abuse, depressive symptoms, quality of life, CD4+ cell count, knowledge and beliefs about treatment, patients' satisfaction with health care, and patient-provider relationship. A synthesis of findings relating various factors to adherence to HAART is difficult to reach because of several limitations of the existing body of research. These limitations concern the measurement of adherence, the assessment of correlates and predictors of adherence, the study population, and the study design.     

Child and Adolescent Adherence With Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety: Predictors and Associations With Outcomes

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety disorders is effective, but nonadherence with treatment may reduce the benefits of CBT. This study examined (a) four baseline domains (i.e., demographic, youth clinical characteristics, therapy related, family/parent factors) as predictors of youth adherence with treatment and (b) the associations between youth adherence and treatment outcomes. Data were from 279 youth (7–17 years of age, 51.6% female; 79.6% White, 9% African American), with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text rev.) diagnoses of separation anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and/or social phobia, who participated in CBT in the Child/Adolescent Anxiety Multimodal Study. Adherence was defined in three ways (session attendance, therapist-rated compliance, and homework completion). Multiple regressions revealed several significant predictors of youth adherence with CBT, but predictors varied according to the definition of adherence. The most robust predictors of greater adherence were living with both parents and fewer youth comorbid externalizing disorders. With respect to outcomes, therapist ratings of higher youth compliance with CBT predicted several indices of favorable outcome: lower anxiety severity, higher global functioning, and treatment responder status after 12 weeks of CBT. Number of sessions attended and homework completion did not predict treatment outcomes. Findings provide information about risks for youth nonadherence, which can inform treatment and highlight the importance of youth compliance with participating in therapy activities, rather than just attending sessions or completing homework assignments.