COPD-patients’ perspective on adherence to therapy and its integration into a systematic literature review

Patient involvement in scientific research is becoming increasingly important to ensure a patient-centered approach to medicine. The objective of this study is twofold: firstly, to ascertain patients’ perspectives on adherence to therapy and secondly, to integrate this information into a systematic review (SR) on interventions to improve adherence in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

In parallel with the SR, two focus group interviews with a COPD self-help group were conducted using semi-structured interview guidelines. The interviews were analyzed using computer-assisted qualitative content analysis according to Kuckartz with the aim of complementing the results of the systematic literature review and to develop propositions for further scientific use.

The first focus group interview comprising 321 codes included 14 (mean age 67.7 ± 6.8 years; 71.4% female) and the second interview comprising 139 codes included 10 (mean age 68,5 ± 8,2 years; 50% female) patients. Ten categories of the content analysis informed the logic models and the applicability analysis of the SR and six propositions representing the patient’s perspective were developed for further scientific use: Main themes were (I) Enhancement of patient’s self-efficacy (II) Access to trusted medical information (III) Patient-physician relationship (IV) Measures to improve adherence (V) Sociocultural/medical environment (VI) Methods to measure adherence.

The inclusion of the patient perspective in an SR can be successfully achieved by conducting focus group interviews. Multimodal measures aimed at enhancing patient’s self-efficacy helping them to achieve individual goals reinforces adherence to therapy from a patient’s perspective.