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Determinant Factors of Osteoporosis Patients’ Reported Therapeutic Adherence to Calcium and/or Vitamin D Supplements

A Cross-Sectional, Observational Study of Postmenopausal Women

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Abstract

Background: Among the various treatments for osteoporosis, calcium and/or vitamin D supplements are frequently included.

Objective: The objective of the study was to analyse adherence to calcium and/or vitamin D treatment and to identify related predictors of non-adherence in a sample of postmenopausal women treated for osteoporosis in primary care.

Methods: A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted in a sample of postmenopausal women receiving pharmaceutical treatment for osteoporosis with vitamin D and/or calcium. Sociodemographic, general and osteoporosis-related data were collected. Patient’s perceptions of the adverse effects of treatment, their knowledge of osteoporosis (Batalla test), their attitude towards treatment (Morisky-Green test) and their self-reported therapeutic adherence (Haynes-Sackett test) were assessed.

Results: Of 630 women (mean age ± SD 64.1 ± 8.7 years) evaluated, 36.2% (95% CI 32.4, 39.9) had problems with treatment tolerability, 63.5% (95% CI 59.7, 67.3) had good knowledge of osteoporosis, 20.5% (95% CI 17.3, 23.6) had a good attitude to treatment and 50.0% (95% CI 46.1, 53.9) had good self-reported adherence to treatment. Patients in the poor adherence group had higher mean body mass index (p = 0.014), more concurrent pathologies (p = 0.003), more tolerability problems (p < 0.001) and worse attitude to treatment (p <0.001). The multivariate model showed a positive relationship between therapeutic adherence and good attitude to treatment (odds ratio [OR] = 11.7; p <0.001), not having tolerability problems (OR = 3.3; p <0.001) and no polymedication (OR = 0.80; p = 0.017).

Conclusions: Only one in two postmenopausal women with osteoporosis who take calcium and/or vitamin D have good self-reported therapeutic adherence to this treatment. Determinant factors of adherence to calcium and/or vitamin D treatment were patient’s attitude to the treatment, tolerability problems with the treatment and number of concurrent treatments.

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Acknowledgements

No sources of funding were used to assist in the preparation of this study. The authors have no conflicts of interest that are directly relevant to the content of this study. The authors thank Alicia Márquez, Antonio Fernández and Nele Vanparys of SICCRO for their assistance at different stages of this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department 5 CV, Nazaret’s Health Centre, Valencia, Spain

    José Sanfelix-Genovés & Begoña Reig-Moya

  2. Research, CME and Clinical Practice Unit Department 18 CV, University Miguel Hernandez Elche (Alicante), REDIAPP-CV, Alicante, Spain

    Vicente F. Gil-Guillén, Domingo Orozco-Beltran & Concepción Carratalá

  3. Department 19 CV, Ciudad Jardín’s Health Centre, Alicante, Spain

    Vicente Giner-Ruiz

  4. Department 17 CV, Cabo Huertas’ Health Centre, Alicante, Spain

    Salvador Pertusa-Martínez

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  1. José Sanfelix-Genovés
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  2. Vicente F. Gil-Guillén
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  3. Domingo Orozco-Beltran
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  4. Vicente Giner-Ruiz
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  6. Begoña Reig-Moya
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  7. Concepción Carratalá
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Correspondence to Vicente F. Gil-Guillén.

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Sanfelix-Genovés, J., Gil-Guillén, V.F., Orozco-Beltran, D. et al. Determinant Factors of Osteoporosis Patients’ Reported Therapeutic Adherence to Calcium and/or Vitamin D Supplements. Drugs Aging 26, 861–869 (2009). https://doi.org/10.2165/11317070-000000000-00000

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