Abstract
Lack of adherence constitutes one of the most important challenges in patients undergoing treatment with oral antineoplastic drugs (ANEO). Understanding cancer patients’ experiences with respect to their medication is key for optimizing adherence and therapeutic results. We aimed to assess the medication experience (ME) in patients with cancer in treatment with ANEO, to describe the barriers and facilitators related to the disease and its treatment and to compare them with the healthcare professionals’ perspectives. We carried out an exploratory qualitative study in the University Hospital of San Juan de Alicante, Spain. Three focus groups and two nominal group discussions were conducted with 23 onco-hematological patients treated with ANEO and 18 health professionals, respectively. The data were analyzed using content analyses and were eventually triangulated. The most impactful aspects in patients’ ME were the presence of adverse effects; lack of information about treatment; beliefs, needs and expectations regarding medications; social and family support; and the relationship with the health professionals. Both patients and professionals agreed on considering the negative side effects and the information about treatment as the main barriers and facilitators of adherence, respectively, although the approaches differed between both profiles. The professionals offered a more technical vision while patients prioritized the emotional burden and motivation associated with the disease and medication. This study allowed us to understand the real-life experiences of patients being treated with ANEO and explore the factors which had an impact on adherence to treatment. This understanding enables professionals to have a positive influence on patients’ behavior and provide individualized care plans. Pharmacists’ assistance is relevant to support patients’ adherence and self-management.
Highlights
Over the last decade, 25% of antineoplastic drugs were administered orally [1], a per-centage that is increasing
We aimed to assess the medication experience (ME) in patients with cancer in treatment with antineoplastic drugs (ANEO), to describe the barriers and facilitators related to the disease and its treatment and to compare them with the healthcare professionals’ perspectives
We carried out a qualitative study in both cancer patients undergoing ANEO treatment and in healthcare professionals (HCP) involved in their clinical management
Summary
25% of antineoplastic drugs were administered orally [1], a per-centage that is increasing. The oral method for the administration of antineoplastic treatment is the preferred option for both patients and professionals [2,3,4], for its convenience and for enabling a better quality of life [5]. Lack of adherence constitutes one of the most important challenges in patients treated with oral antineoplastic drugs (ANEO). Previous studies showed heterogeneous results in adherence rate with 4.0/).
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