Klin Farmakol Farm. 2013;27(3-4):106-109

Compliance of patients using interferon for the treatment of multiple sclerosis

Pavlína Štrbová¹, Eleonora Dostálová², Zdeňka Mikšová³

¹ Ústav farmakologie Lékařské fakulty Univerzity Palackého v Olomouci

² Centrální operační sály a centrální sterilizace, Nemocnice Prostějov

³ Ústav ošetřovatelství, Fakulta zdravotnických věd, Univerzita Palackého v Olomouci

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine patients’ knowledge, compliance and risk perception of therapy by interferons in multiple

sclerosis.

Methods: The questionnaire survey was conducted for three months in the specialized neurological centre of the University Hospital

in Olomouc. The study used ad hoc questionnaire containing 20 questions.

Results: The study involved 65 respondents, 71 % of women and 29 % of men. The distribution of respondents was equal in the use of

individual products – 35 % of respondents used Avonex, 34 %, Rebif and 31 % Betaferon. Most respondents were educated by nurse (42 %)

or by physicians and nurse (46 %), both initially and repeatedly during the therapy. Majority of respondents (94 %) also received some

kind of written educational material. Almost 70 % of respondents reported an adverse reaction. The most frequently reported adverse

reactions were flu-like syndrome (95 %), local symptoms in application site (20 %), nausea (7 %) and depression (4 %).

Conclusion: Patients’ compliance has been found relatively good. However, the skipping of the interferon dose has not been exceptional.

Success of therapy is highly dependent on the cooperation of health professionals. Also the education of patients is very important. The

degree of nurses’ involvement into the patients’ education is high in this disease.

Keywords: multiple sclerosis, interferon beta, compliance, perception of risk, education, questionnaire study, adverse drug reactions

Published: December 1, 2013  Show citation