Selected psychological aspects and medication adherence in oncological patients

Objective The aim of this study was to analyze the relationships between selected psychological features and adherence to therapy in oncological patients. Methods The study included 102 patients of oncological clinics, 66.67% of whom were female. The average (SD) age of the study subjects was 49.15 +/- 18.16 years old. The following tools were used: Morisky Medication Adherence Questionnaire (MAQ-4), Multidimensional Health Locus of Control, Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations, Personal Values Inventory (LWO), and a study-specific survey questionnaire. Results High MAQ-4 scores were declared by 39.2% of the subjects, medium scores by 32.3% and low scores by 28.5%. The values were higher in female patients (P = .23), younger subjects (P < .001), and in individuals with higher education (P = .03). The greatest adherence was observed in subjects who placed their locus of control in chance (P = .022). Significant relationships were identified between the level of medication adherence and the use of avoidance strategies of coping with stress (P = .037), including the willingness to engage in social relationships (P = .04). It was demonstrated that the risk of noncompliance in the analyzed group was associated with a lower assessment of appearance (OR = 0.75) and health (OR = 0.78) on the scale of values. Conclusion Medication adherence in oncological patients is related to the health locus of control, strategies of coping with stress, and the value assigned to appearance and health.