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The beliefs of rheumatoid arthritis patients in their subcutaneous biological drug: strengths and areas of concern

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A Correction to this article was published on 25 July 2018

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Abstract

Patients’ beliefs about their prescribed medication are an important factor influencing intentional non-adherence. This study describes rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients’ beliefs about their subcutaneous (SC) biological medication through the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ), and potential associations. As part of the ARCO study (Study on Adherence of Rheumatoid arthritis patients to subCutaneous and Oral drugs), patients completed the BMQ specifically for their SC biological medication, encompassing a necessity and a concerns scale. The medication possession ratio (MPR) was calculated to assess adherence to the SC biological medication. The BMQ was completed by 321 patients. Between 71.0 and 89.7% of patients agreed/strongly agreed with necessity scale statements, and only 7.2% had low necessity scores. Between 20.0 and 49.8% of patients agreed/strongly agreed with four of five concern scale statements, and 72.3% agreed/strongly agreed with the concern statement regarding long-term medication effects. The percentage with high concerns was 58.9%, and was higher in patients not satisfied with, or with less fulfillment of, tolerability expectations. Non-adherence percentages were, respectively, 13.8 and 13.0% (p = 0.919) in those with high or low necessity, and 16.0 and 10.6% (p = 0.171) in those with high or low concerns. Most patients were categorized as ‘ambivalent’ (58.5%; high necessity/high concerns) or ‘accepting’ (36.1%; high necessity/low concerns) of their SC biological medication. The BMQ identified patients’ concerns with their SC biological medication. Because patients’ concerns could influence non-adherence to medication and future outcomes, physicians should address this issue in the clinic by informing patients and setting clear expectations.

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Change history

  • 25 July 2018

    In the original publication, the family name of the last author was incorrect. The correct name should read as Jaime Calvo-Alén.

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Acknowledgements

The ARCO study was sponsored and financed by Merck Sharp & Dohme Spain, a subsidiary of Merck & Co, Kenilworth, New Jersey, USA. The sponsor was participated in the current analysis proposal and in the data interpretation together with the co-authors. Study implementation and statistical analyses were conducted by Experior S.L., Spain. The authors wish to thank the 42 ARCO study investigators for their contribution to patient recruitment and data acquisition, and to the participating patients for their collaboration in completing the study questionnaires. Editorial assistance was provided by Content Ed Net (Madrid, Spain), with funding from Merck Sharp & Dohme (Madrid, Spain). All co-authors approved the final version of the article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Affairs Department, Merck Sharp & Dohme S.A., Calle de Josefa Valcárcel 38, 28027, Madrid, Spain

    Luis Cea-Calvo, Sabela Fernandez & Maria J. Arteaga

  2. Hospital Universitario San Cecilio, Granada, Spain

    Enrique Raya

  3. Hospital Universitario Virgen de Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain

    Carlos Marras

  4. Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain

    Tarek C. Salman-Monte

  5. Hospital La Princesa, IIS La Princesa, Madrid, Spain

    Ana Ortiz

  6. Hospital Universitario Mutua de Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain

    Georgina Salvador

  7. Hospital Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain

    Indalecio Monteagudo

  8. Instituto de Salud Musculoesquelética (InMusc), Madrid, Spain

    Loreto Carmona

  9. Hospital Txagorritxu, Araba, Vitoria, Spain

    Jaime Calvo-Allén

Authors
  1. Luis Cea-Calvo
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  2. Enrique Raya
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  3. Carlos Marras
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  4. Tarek C. Salman-Monte
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  5. Ana Ortiz
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  6. Georgina Salvador
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  7. Indalecio Monteagudo
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  8. Loreto Carmona
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  9. Sabela Fernandez
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  10. Maria J. Arteaga
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  11. Jaime Calvo-Allén
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Luis Cea-Calvo.

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Conflict of interest

María J. Arteaga, Sabela Fernández and Luis Cea-Calvo are full-time employees of Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) Spain. The other co-authors of the manuscript were also study investigators, and they or their institution received financial compensation for the enrolment of patients in the study. Georgina Salvador has received payments for lectures or educational presentations from BMS, Roche, AbbVie, Amgen, Pfizer and MSD. Ana Ortiz has received payments for consultancy from Lilly and Janssen, for educational presentations from UCB, Roche, AbbVie, Lilly and Pfizer, and meeting expenses from UCB, AbbVie, Novartis and Janssen. The remaining authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Cea-Calvo, L., Raya, E., Marras, C. et al. The beliefs of rheumatoid arthritis patients in their subcutaneous biological drug: strengths and areas of concern. Rheumatol Int 38, 1735–1740 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-018-4097-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-018-4097-y

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