Factors reducing adherence to therapy and abilities to enhance motivation for treatment

Abstract

The problem of lowering adherence to therapy in lung tuberculosis patients and abilities to enhance motivation to for treatment has not been highlighted in literature. The aim of this study was to investigate factors influencing the adherence to treatment in tuberculosis patients and abilities to enhance their motivation for treatment. A total sample of 72 inpatients with infiltrative and firbocavernous lung tuberculosis were involved. They were residents of Samara region aged 22 to 56 yrs. To investigate factors reducing adherence to therapy a special questionnaire consisting of 34 points has been created proposed by Samara military medical university. Statistic analysis was performed using SPSS programme, version 12.0. As a result, the most common factors reducing adherence to therapy in lung tuberculosis patients were adverse effects of antituberculosis drugs, financial problems, complications of the disease and fear of their appearance, painfulness of treatment procedures, tiredness of long treatment period and of hospital environment. To overcome the fear education of the patients is necessary. To reduce the emotional component and painfulness of some treatment procedures, manual and audiomethods could be helpful. Effective therapy, confidence in the attendant physician and full information of the disease could enhance motivation to treatment.