Adherence and sustained virologic response among vulnerable people initiating an hepatitis C treatment at a nurse-led clinic: A non-experimental prospective cohort study based on clinical records.

Background: There is a need to develop specific care route for vulnerable people with hepatitis C virus. Objective: At a nurse-led clinic, we aimed to: (1) report the prevalence of patients initiating an hepatitis C treatment who (a) achieved sustained virologic response and (b) were adherent to their treatment; and (2) explore factors associated with adherence and sustained virologic response. Design: A clinical record-based prospective cohort study. Setting: A community-based nurse-led clinic coordinating outreach services for people with hepatitis C virus in Québec City, Québec, Canada. Population: All patients initiating an hepatitis C treatment at the nurse-led clinic from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2017 (end of data collection). Methods: Patients were followed from the day they initiated their hepatitis C treatment, up to 24 weeks after the end of the treatment. Sustained virologic response was achieved if hepatitis C virus ribonucleic acid (RNA) was undetectable or below the lower limit of quantification at week 12 or later. Patients who reported hepatitis C treatment completion without missing any doses were considered adherent. Factors associated with adherence and sustained virologic response were identified using adjusted prevalence ratios. Results: A total of 171 patients infected with hepatitis C virus (women: n = 51, 30%; criminal record: n = 102, 60%; substance addiction: n = 99, 58%) initiated an hepatitis C treatment at the nurse-led clinic. Overall, 126/171 (74%) patients were adherent. Patients using illicit drugs were less likely to be adherent (adjusted prevalence ratio 0.77, 95% confidence interval 0.67-0.89). Among 156/171 (91%) patients with an hepatitis C virus RNA test post-treatment, 96% (n = 149) achieved sustained virologic response. Patients who were less likely to achieve sustained virologic response were those who were non-adherent (adjusted prevalence ratio 0.81, 95% confidence interval 0.68-0.98) or who had a criminal record (adjusted prevalence ratio 0.87, 95% confidence interval 0.79-0.97). Conclusions: A nurse-led clinic could fill an important gap in hepatitis C health services targeted at vulnerable people in a community setting, to drive adherence and achievement of sustained virologic response.

Reprint of: Psychosocial factors associated with pharmacists' antidepressant drug treatment monitoring.

OBJECTIVE: Patients undergoing antidepressant drug treatment (ADT) may face challenges regarding its adverse effects, adherence, and efficacy. Community pharmacists are well positioned to manage ADT-related problems. Little is known about the factors influencing pharmacists' ADT monitoring. This study aimed to identify the psychosocial factors associated with pharmacists' intention to perform systematic ADT monitoring and report on this monitoring. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Community pharmacists in the province of Quebec, Canada. OUTCOME MEASURES: Pharmacists completed a questionnaire on their performance of ADT monitoring, TPB constructs (intention; attitude; subjective norm; perceived behavioral control; and attitudinal, normative, and control beliefs), and professional identity. Systematic ADT monitoring was defined as pharmacists' reporting 4 or more consultations with each patient during the first year of ADT to address adverse effects, adherence, and efficacy. Hierarchical linear regression models were used to identify the factors associated with the intention and reporting of systematic ADT monitoring and Poisson working models to identify the beliefs associated with intention. RESULTS: A total of 1609 pharmacists completed the questionnaire (participation = 29.6%). Systematic ADT monitoring was not widely reported (mean score = 2.0 out of 5.0), and intention was moderate (mean = 3.2). Pharmacists' intention was the sole psychosocial factor associated with reporting systematic ADT monitoring (P < 0.0001; R2 = 0.370). All TPB constructs and professional identity were associated with intention (P < 0.0001; R2 = 0.611). Perceived behavioral control had the strongest association. CONCLUSION: Interventions to promote systematic ADT monitoring should focus on developing a strong intention among pharmacists, which could, in turn, influence their practice. To influence intention, priority should be given to ensuring that pharmacists feel capable of performing this monitoring. The main barriers to overcome were the presence of only 1 pharmacist at work and limited time. Other factors identified offer complementary intervention targets.

Psychosocial factors associated with pharmacists' antidepressant drug treatment monitoring.

OBJECTIVE: Patients undergoing antidepressant drug treatment (ADT) may face challenges regarding its adverse effects, adherence, and efficacy. Community pharmacists are well positioned to manage ADT-related problems. Little is known about the factors influencing pharmacists' ADT monitoring. This study aimed to identify the psychosocial factors associated with pharmacists' intention to perform systematic ADT monitoring and report on this monitoring. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Community pharmacists in the province of Quebec, Canada. OUTCOME MEASURES: Pharmacists completed a questionnaire on their performance of ADT monitoring, TPB constructs (intention; attitude; subjective norm; perceived behavioral control; and attitudinal, normative, and control beliefs), and professional identity. Systematic ADT monitoring was defined as pharmacists' reporting 4 or more consultations with each patient during the first year of ADT to address adverse effects, adherence, and efficacy. Hierarchical linear regression models were used to identify the factors associated with the intention and reporting of systematic ADT monitoring and Poisson working models to identify the beliefs associated with intention. RESULTS: A total of 1609 pharmacists completed the questionnaire (participation = 29.6%). Systematic ADT monitoring was not widely reported (mean score = 2.0 out of 5.0), and intention was moderate (mean = 3.2). Pharmacists' intention was the sole psychosocial factor associated with reporting systematic ADT monitoring (P < 0.0001; R2 = 0.370). All TPB constructs and professional identity were associated with intention (P < 0.0001; R2 = 0.611). Perceived behavioral control had the strongest association. CONCLUSION: Interventions to promote systematic ADT monitoring should focus on developing a strong intention among pharmacists, which could, in turn, influence their practice. To influence intention, priority should be given to ensuring that pharmacists feel capable of performing this monitoring. The main barriers to overcome were the presence of only 1 pharmacist at work and limited time. Other factors identified offer complementary intervention targets.

Use of non-HIV medication among people living with HIV and receiving antiretroviral treatment in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: In Côte d'Ivoire, people living with HIV (PLHIV) have free access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and cotrimoxazole. Yet, they may use other medications to treat non-HIV diseases. Scarce data are available regarding the use of non-HIV medications in Africa. This study describes the use of non-HIV medications and identifies the factors associated with their use by PLHIV on ART in Côte d'Ivoire. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in six HIV clinics in 2016. HIV-1-infected adults receiving ART for at least one year were eligible. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect demographics, HIV characteristics and medication use data. Associated factors were identified using a multivariate adjusted Poisson regression. RESULTS: A total of 1,458 participants (74% women) were enrolled. The median age was 44 years, and the median duration of ART was 81 months. A total of 696 (48%) participants reported having used at least one non-HIV medication. Among the 1,519 non-HIV medications used, 550 (36%) had not been prescribed and 397 (26%) were from the nervous system class. Individuals who were more likely to report the use of at least one non-HIV medication included those who had been treated in an Abidjan HIV clinic, had a high school education level, had a monthly income between 152 and 304 euros, had a poor perceived health status, had WHO advanced clinical stage, had used traditional medicine products and had not used cotrimoxazole. CONCLUSION: Almost half PLHIV on ART reported using non-HIV medication. Further research is needed to assess whether the use of non-HIV medication is appropriate given about a third of those medications are not being prescribed.

TREATMENT COMPLETION AND IMPLEMENTATION BY PATIENTS INITIATING TICAGRELOR.

BACKGROUND: In secondary prevention of adverse events and death following acute coronary syndrome, patients may benefit from adhering to a ticagrelor treatment. OBJECTIVES: The authors assessed the proportion of new ticagrelor users who completed 12 months of treatment, explored the factors associated with treatment completion and, among the completers, evaluated the 12-month treatment implementation. METHODS: A retrospective administrative health database inception cohort study was conducted in a population that included Quebec residents ≥18 years of age who initiated ticagrelor between January 1, 2012 and March 31, 2014. A patient still on ticagrelor at the end of the 12-month period after treatment initiation was considered to have completed the treatment. Factors associated with treatment completion were identified using log-binomial regression. Implementation was assessed using the proportion of days covered (PDC). RESULTS: Of the 3,600 patients, 2,235 (62.1%) completed 12 months of treatment. The patients who were more likely to complete their treatment included those who had visited a general practitioner, had a percutaneous coronary intervention, used a statin or fibrate, and those who used an antihypertensive drug during the year preceding the ticagrelor treatment initiation. Older patients, those with atrial fibrillation, those who had ≥ 6 physician visits and those who used an anticoagulant were less likely to complete the 12-month treatment. The median PDC was 96.2%. CONCLUSION: Treatment completion might be improved. Among patients who completed the treatment, implementation was high. The factors associated with completion could help to identify patients who might benefit from interventions that aim to optimize treatment completion.

Measuring adherence to oral antidiabetic multi-drug treatment: Comparative validity of prescription claims-based adherence measures against hospitalization.

BACKGROUND: The use of prescription claims data to measure adherence to diabetes treatment is very common in research. However, there is no clear evidence regarding the accuracy of the methods used to assess adherence to multi-drug treatments for the many patients using multiple antidiabetic drugs. PURPOSE: To assess the validity of prescription claims-based adherence measures in the context of multiple oral antidiabetic drug treatment. METHODS: A cohort of patients who began their antidiabetic drug treatment with at least two oral antidiabetic drugs (new users) was created using Quebec medico-administrative data. Four different prescription claims-based adherence measures were assessed: proportion of days covered (PDC) by at least one class of drugs, mean PDC, PDC by all classes and daily polypharmacy possession ratio (DPPR). All-cause and diabetes-related hospitalizations were the validation criteria. To assess the validity of the measures, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted for each measure and each criterion. RESULTS: A total of 5982 individuals were included. The areas under the ROC curves for the PDC by at least one class of drugs, the mean PDC, the PDC by all classes of drugs and the DPPR were respectively 0.54 (95% CI: 0.52-0.56), 0.51 (0.49-0.53), 0.50 (0.48-0.52) and 0.51 (0.49-0.53) with all-cause hospitalization as criterion and 0.55 (0.53-0.57), 0.53 (0.51-0.55), 0.51 (0.49-0.53) and 0.53 (0.51-0.55) using diabetes-related hospitalization as criterion. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that all measures have poor validity in predicting hospitalizations thus raising concerns about their utility in the assessment of adherence to multi-drug treatment. Future research should assess the capacity of these measures to predict other outcomes more closely related to medication adherence.

Risk of pulmonary toxicity of bleomycin and filgrastim.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the relative risk of pulmonary toxicity in patients exposed to a bleomycin-based chemotherapy including filgrastim compared to a similar chemotherapy without filgrastim. METHODS: We conducted a nested case-control study of patients treated with BEP (bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin) for germ cell cancer or with ABVD (doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine) for Hodgkin's lymphoma at the Hôtel-Dieu de Lévis Hospital between 31 October 2000 and 30 June 2016. The relative risk was estimated by an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) using a propensity score-adjusted regression analysis. RESULTS: Thirteen cases of pulmonary toxicity, representing 14.7% of the 88 patients included in the study, were matched with 65 controls. A higher proportion of women (31.8%) than men (11.3%) developed pulmonary toxicity although the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.08). Within the cohort, two deaths related to lung toxicity were observed among cases where no filgrastim was used. The risk of pulmonary toxicity associated with the addition of filgrastim was not statistically significant (aOR = 2.48 95% CI = 0.50 to 12.19). CONCLUSION: The results add further evidence that the concomitant use of filgrastim might not increase the risk of pulmonary toxicity of bleomycin. It also suggests that female patients might be more likely to develop this adverse effect. A clinical trial would be needed to confirm this result.

Appropriateness of Ticagrelor Use at Initiation: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: Ticagrelor is recommended following an acute coronary syndrome if used appropriately. Its use has not yet been well described in the context of ambulatory clinical practice. The objective of this study was to assess the proportion of ticagrelor new users who initiated this medication appropriately and explore associated factors. METHODS: A retrospective population-based inception cohort study was conducted using Quebec administrative databases. The study population included all Quebec residents aged ≥18 years who had a first ticagrelor prescription claim between 1 January, 2012, and 31 March, 2015, and had been continuously eligible in the Quebec public drug plan during the 365 days preceding the first ticagrelor claim. The initial ticagrelor prescription was considered appropriate if:1) it met the indication for use criterion, 2) the prescribed daily dose was 90 mg twice a day, and 3) there was a concomitant use of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) 80-81 mg daily. Factors potentially associated with the ticagrelor appropriateness of use were included in a logistic log-binomial regression model. RESULTS: A total of 7,073 patients were included in the study, 6,013 (85.0%) had an appropriate indication, 6,895 (97.5%) were prescribed ticagrelor 90 mg twice a day, and 6,385 (90.3%) had a concomitant prescription of ASA. A total of 5,371 (75.9%) patients were prescribed ticagrelor in accordance with all criteria. Twelve factors were associated with prescription appropriateness. CONCLUSIONS: A large majority of patients initiated ticagrelor appropriately. Further improvement in appropriateness may come at targeting indication for use.

Avoidable workload of care for patients living with HIV infection in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: People living with HIV infection (PLWHIV) in Sub-Saharan Africa cope with an increasing workload of care (doctor visits, lab tests, medication management, refills, etc.) in a context of poor health service organization. We aimed to describe the workload of care for PLWHIV in Sub-Saharan Africa and assess to what extent simple adjustments in care organization could reduce this workload of care. METHODS: Adult PLWHIV under antiretroviral treatment for at least 1 year were recruited in three centers (two public, one private) in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. Using methods inspired from sociology, we precisely described all health-related activities (HRAs) performed by patients, in 1 month, in terms of time, money and opportunity costs. Then, we assessed the theoretical avoidable workload of care if patients' visits and tests had been grouped on the same days. RESULTS: We enrolled 476 PLWHIV in the study. Patients devoted 6.7 hours (SD = 6.3), on average, in HRAs per month and spent 5% (SD = 11) of their monthly revenue, on average, on health activities. However, we found great inter-patient heterogeneity in the mixture of activities performed (managing medications; dietary recommendations; visits, tests, support groups; administrative tasks; etc.) and their time allocation, temporal dispersion and opportunity costs (personal, familial, social or professional costs). For 22% of patients, grouping activities on the same days could reduce both time and cost requirements by 20%. CONCLUSION: PLWHIV in Côte d'Ivoire have a heavy workload of care. Grouping visits and tests on the same days may be a simple and feasible way to reduce patients' investment of time and money in their care.

Patient perspectives on the role of community pharmacists for antidepressant treatment: A qualitative study.

OBJECTIVES: Patients prescribed antidepressant drug treatment (ADT) for major depression report several needs in relation to their treatment, and a large proportion of these patients will end ADT prematurely. Community pharmacists may play an important role in monitoring ADT and supporting these patients. However, little is known about patient experiences of the services provided in community pharmacies. The objectives of this study were to 1) explore patients' experiences with the services community pharmacists provide for ADT and 2) identify potential avenues for improvement of pharmacists' services within the context of ADT. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive exploratory study was conducted among individuals diagnosed with major depression who had initiated ADT at some point in the 12 months prior to their participation in the study. A total of 14 persons recruited in a local health centre and a community-based organization participated in individual interviews. A thematic analysis of the interview transcripts was conducted. RESULTS: Pharmacists tend to concentrate their involvement in treatment at initiation and at the first refill when questions, uncertainties and side effects are major issues. Patients felt that the pharmacists' contributions consisted of providing information and reassurance; in these respects, their needs were met. Participants had few ideas as to what additional services pharmacists could implement to improve patients' experience with ADT. Patients' sole expectations were that pharmacists extend this information role to the whole length of the treatment and enhance the confidentiality of discussions in pharmacy. CONCLUSION: Pharmacists should provide counselling throughout the entire treatment rather than passively waiting for patients to ask their questions. However, facilitation of open discussions may not be achieved unless confidentiality at pharmacies is secured.

Neighbourhood Material and Social Deprivation and Exposure to Antidepressant Drug Treatment: A Cohort Study Using Administrative Data.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether neighbourhood deprivation is associated with exposure to an antidepressant drug treatment (ADT) and its quality among individuals diagnosed with unipolar depression and insured by the Quebec public drug plan. METHOD: We conducted an administrative database cohort study of adults covered by the Quebec public drug plan who were diagnosed with a new episode of unipolar depression. We assessed material and social deprivation using an area-based index. We considered exposure to an ADT as having ≥1 claim for an ADT within the 365 days following depression diagnosis. Among those exposed to ADT, ADT quality was assessed with 3 indicators: first-line recommended ADT, persistence with the ADT, and compliance with the ADT. Generalized linear models were used to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). RESULTS: Of 100,432 individuals with unipolar depression, 65,436 (65%) were exposed to an ADT in the year following the diagnosis. Individuals living in the most materially deprived areas were slightly more likely to be exposed to an ADT than those living in the least deprived areas (aPR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.06). The likelihoods of being exposed to a first-line ADT, persisting for the minimum recommended duration and complying with the ADT were independent of the deprivation levels. CONCLUSIONS: Neighbourhood deprivation was not associated with ADT quality among individuals insured by the Quebec public drug plan. It might be partly attributable to the public drug plan whose goal is to provide equitable access to prescription drugs regardless of income.

Factors associated with adherence to asthma treatment with inhaled corticosteroids: A cross-sectional exploratory study.

BACKGROUND: Understanding factors at the patient, provider or organizational level associated with inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) adherence is important when planning adherence-enhancing interventions. OBJECTIVE: To explore factors associated with adherence to ICS among patients with asthma aged 12-45 years. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among patients with asthma reporting ICS prescription during the baseline interview of an intervention study. Three methods were used to measure ICS adherence: a 4-item self-report questionnaire, a single question (SQ) measuring past 7-day exposure to ICS and a medication possession ratio (MPR, i.e., the sum of ICS days of supply/365). We assessed 46 potential factors of ICS adherence derived from the Predisposing, Reinforcing and Enabling Constructs in Educational Diagnosis and Evaluation (PRECEDE) model. Their association with ICS adherence was measured using multivariate logistic regressions. RESULTS: Among the 319 participants included, 16.0% were deemed adherent according to the 4-item questionnaire. This proportion was 43.0% and 9.1% for the SQ and the MPR method, respectively. Ten factors were associated with good ICS adherence. Among these factors, four were associated with adherence through one of the measuring methods: a low family income level, a high number of asthma drugs used, a good knowledge of asthma pathophysiology and the perception that following the ICS prescription was easy. Two factors emerged through more than one measure: perceiving asthma severity as moderate to very severe and perceiving a high risk of death if ICSs are not taken as prescribed. CONCLUSION: ICS adherence was poor in those individuals with asthma. Future adherence-enhancing interventions could target the identified modifiable risk factors. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT02093013.

Association between community pharmacy loyalty and persistence and implementation of antipsychotic treatment among individuals with schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Non-adherence is a major obstacle to optimal treatment of schizophrenia. Community pharmacists are in a key position to detect non-adherence and put in place interventions. Their role is likely to be more efficient when individuals are loyal to a single pharmacy. OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between the level of community pharmacy loyalty and persistence with and implementation of antipsychotic drug treatment among individuals with schizophrenia. METHODS: A cohort study using databases from the Quebec health insurance board (Canada) was conducted among new antipsychotic users insured by Quebec's public drug plan. Level of community pharmacy loyalty was assessed as the number of pharmacies visited in the year after antipsychotics initiation. Persistence was defined as having an antipsychotic supply in the user's possession on the 730th day after its initiation and implementation as having antipsychotics in the user's possession for ≥80% of the days in the second year after antipsychotics initiation (among persistent only). Generalized linear models were used to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). RESULTS: 6,251 individuals were included in the cohort and 54.1% had their drug prescriptions filled in >1 pharmacy. When compared to those who had their prescriptions filled in a single pharmacy, those who had their prescriptions filled in ≥4 different pharmacies were 22% more likely to be non-persistent (aPR = 1.22; 95%CI = 1.10-1.37) and 49% more likely to have an antipsychotic for <80% of the days (aPR = 1.49; 95%IC = 1.28-1.74). CONCLUSION: This first exploration of community pharmacy loyalty in the context of severe mental illness indicates that this healthcare organisation factor might be associated with antipsychotics persistence and implementation. Identification of individuals with low community pharmacy loyalty and initiatives to optimize community pharmacy loyalty could contribute to enhanced persistence and implementation.

The Development of a Community Pharmacy-Based Intervention to Optimize Patients' Use of and Experience with Antidepressants: A Step-by-Step Demonstration of the Intervention Mapping Process.

Objective: To describe the development of a community pharmacy-based intervention aimed at optimizing experience and use of antidepressants (ADs) for patients with mood and anxiety disorders. Methods: Intervention Mapping (IM) was used for conducting needs assessment, formulating intervention objectives, selecting change methods and practical applications, designing the intervention, and planning intervention implementation. IM is based on a qualitative participatory approach and each step of the intervention development process was conducted through consultations with a pharmacists' committee. Results: A needs assessment was informed by qualitative and quantitative studies conducted with leaders, pharmacists, and patients. Intervention objectives and change methods were selected to target factors influencing patients' experience with and use of ADs. The intervention includes four brief consultations between the pharmacist and the patient: (1) provision of information (first AD claim); (2) management of side effects (15 days after first claim); (3) monitoring treatment efficacy (30-day renewal); (4) assessment of treatment persistence (2-month renewal, repeated every 6 months). A detailed implementation plan was also developed. Conclusion: IM provided a systematic and rigorous approach to the development of an intervention directly tied to empirical data on patients' and pharmacists' experiences and recommendations. The thorough description of this intervention may facilitate the development of new pharmacy-based interventions or the adaptation of this intervention to other illnesses and settings.

Contributions of community pharmacists to patients on antidepressants-a qualitative study among key informants.

Background Patients with an antidepressant drug treatment (ADT) report unmet needs and a significant proportion stop their ADT prematurely. Community pharmacists can play a key role in supporting these patients. Objective To explore the perspectives of various leaders in health care about the current and potential contributions of community pharmacists to patients on ADT. Setting The province of Quebec (Canada). Method We conducted a qualitative descriptive exploratory study using interviews among leaders who were involved in health care services, pharmaceutical services, physician and pharmacist education, as well as patient and healthcare professional associations. Verbatim transcripts of interviews were analyzed using computer-assisted thematic analysis. Main outcome measure Perspectives about the contributions of community pharmacists to patients on ADT. Results Interviews revealed that pharmacists are perceived to be accessible drug experts whose particular strengths are their thorough knowledge of drugs, their commitment to ensure ADT safety and tolerability, as well as their commitment to inform and support patients. Leaders trained in pharmacy or representatives of pharmacy organizations had concrete expectations for pharmacists' increased involvement in monitoring ADT adherence and efficacy. They extensively discussed the regulatory and organizational changes required to enhance this role. Leaders also stated that, in addition to patients, health care teams could benefit from pharmacists' expertise and support. Conclusion Participating key informants perceived the need for enhanced pharmacist monitoring of ADT adherence and efficacy. They also expressed their openness to an increased collaboration between health care teams and pharmacists.

The Association between Depression and Medication Nonpersistence in New Users of Antidiabetic Drugs.

OBJECTIVES: To measure the association between depression and nonpersistence with antidiabetic drugs (ADs) among new users of oral ADs and to estimate factors associated with nonpersistence among these new users with depression. METHODS: We used administrative claims data to identify an adult cohort (≥18 years) of new oral AD users who were free of depression. We followed the patients from AD initiation until either discontinuation, ineligibility for the public drug plan, death, or the end of the study. A proportional hazard Cox regression model with depression as a time-dependent variable was used to compute the adjusted hazard ratio of nonpersistence. A proportional hazard Cox regression model was also used to identify factors associated with nonpersistence in the subcohort of patients with depression. RESULTS: We identified 114,366 new oral AD users, of whom 4,808 were diagnosed with depression during the follow-up. A greater proportion (55.4%) of patients with depression (vs. 42.5% without depression) discontinued their treatment during the follow-up. The adjusted hazard ratio of nonpersistence with ADs was 1.52 (95% confidence interval 1.41-1.63). Among patients with depression, independent factors associated with nonpersistence included younger age at oral AD initiation (<45 years) and starting treatment with drugs other than metformin (especially polytherapy with insulin). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with depression are more likely to discontinue their treatment. Health care professionals should pay attention to patients on AD therapy who also suffer from depression, especially if the patients are young or are using insulin because these patients are at an increased risk of nonpersistence.

Improving medication adherence among community-dwelling seniors with cognitive impairment: a systematic review of interventions.

Background Medication non-adherence may lead to poor therapeutic outcomes. Cognitive functions deteriorate with age, contributing to decreased adherence. Interventions have been tested to improve adherence in seniors with cognitive impairment or Alzheimer disease (AD), but high-quality systematic reviews are lacking. It remains unclear which interventions are promising. Objectives We conducted a systematic review to identify, describe, and evaluate interventions aimed at improving medication adherence among seniors with any type of cognitive impairment. Methods Following NICE guidance, databases and websites were searched using combinations of controlled and free vocabulary. All adherence-enhancing interventions and study designs were considered. Studies had to include community dwelling seniors, aged 65 years or older, with cognitive impairment, receiving at least one medication for a chronic condition, and an adherence measure. Study characteristics and methodological quality were assessed. Results We identified 13 interventions, including six RCTs. Two studies were of poor, nine of low/medium and two of high quality. Seven studies had sample sizes below 50 and six interventions focused on adherence to AD medication. Six interventions tested a behavioral, four a medication oriented, two an educational and one a multi-faceted approach. Studies rarely assessed therapeutic outcomes. All but one intervention showed improved adherence. Conclusion Three medium quality studies showed better adherence with patches than with pills for AD treatment. Promising interventions used educational or reminding strategies, including one high quality RCT. Nine studies were of low/moderate quality. High quality RCTs using a theoretical framework for intervention selection are needed to identify strategies for improved adherence in these seniors.

Association between interpersonal continuity of care and medication adherence in type 2 diabetes: an observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Prior studies have shown that, compared to patients with a low level of interpersonal continuity of care, patients with a high level of continuity of care have a lower likelihood of hospital admission and emergency department visits, and a higher likelihood of patient satisfaction. We sought to determine whether higher levels of continuity of care are associated with medication persistence and compliance among new users of oral antidiabetic treatment. METHODS: We conducted a medicoadministrative cohort study of new users of oral antidiabetics aged 18 years or more among people covered by the Quebec public drug plan. We excluded people with fewer than 730 days of treatment and those who had been in hospital for 275 days or more in the first or second year after initiation of antidiabetic treatment. We categorized continuity of care observed in the first year after treatment initiation as low, intermediate or high. The association between continuity of care and medication persistence and compliance was assessed using generalized linear models. RESULTS: In this cohort of 60 924 new users of oral antidiabetic treatment, compared to patients with a high level of continuity of care, those with an intermediate and a low level of continuity of care were less likely to be persistent (adjusted prevalence ratio 0.97 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.96-0.98] and 0.96 [95% CI 0.95-0.97], respectively) and compliant (adjusted prevalence ratio 0.98 [95% CI 0.97-0.99] and 0.95 [0.94-0.97], respectively) with their antidiabetic treatment. INTERPRETATION: A higher level of interpersonal continuity of care was associated with a higher likelihood of drug persistence and compliance. Since the strength of this association was weak, further research is required to determine whether continuity of care plays a role in medication adherence.

Factors associated with antidiabetic medication non-adherence in patients with incident comorbid depression.

AIM: To identify factors associated with antidiabetic drug (AD) non-adherence among patients with type 2 diabetes and depression. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTINGS: We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study among new AD users with a diagnosis of depression following AD initiation. We used public health insurance data from Quebec. The dependent variable was non-adherence (i.e., <90% of days covered by ≥1AD) in the year after a depression diagnosis. Different sociodemographic, clinical and medication-related variables were assessed as potential factors of non-adherence to AD treatment. We performed univariate and multivariate logistic regressions. RESULTS: We identified 3106 new users of ADs with a diagnosis of depression between 2000 and 2006. Of these individuals, 52% were considered non-adherent to their ADs. Baseline non-adherence, younger age, the addition of another AD to the initial treatment, <4 drug claims, visits with several different physicians, high socioeconomic status, and a small number of diabetes complications were associated with AD non-adherence. CONCLUSIONS: The factors identified in the present study may help clinicians recognize patients with type 2 diabetes and incident depression at increased risk for non-adherence. In these patients, close follow-up and targeted interventions could help improve adherence to AD treatment, improve glycemic control and reduce complications.