Predictive Factors for Medication Adherence in Patients with Breast Cancer on Hormone Therapy

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to identify degrees of symptoms, self-efficacy, fear of cancer recurrence, anti-hormone therapy beliefs, and medication adherence, and to pinpoint factors influencing medication adherence among patients with breast cancer who were undergoing hormone therapy. Methods: The data of 144 breast cancer patients who had breast cancer surgery and were undergoing anti-hormone therapy were collected from July to August 2022. The collected data were analyzed using the descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and hierarchy multiple regression analysis. Results: Medication adherence significantly differed according to the breast cancer stage (F=3.35, p=.38) and presence of comorbidities other than breast cancer (t=-2.26, p=.025). Medication adherence was explained by breast cancer stage (beta=.15), the presence of comorbidities other than breast cancer (beta=.16), symptom (beta=.17), and Anti-Hormone Therapy Beliefs (beta=-.44)(F=11.47, p<.001). The model explained 34% of the variance. Conclusion: The results of the study suggest that share the patient's symptom experiences among medical staff, and educate about the importance of anti-hormone therapy beliefs and prior methods. The findings of this study highlight the need to develop and implement education or interventions to enhance medication adherence among breast cancer patients who are undergoing anti-hormone therapy.