Mental-physical multimorbidity treatment adherence challenges in Brazilian primary care: A qualitative study with patients and their healthcare providers

PLoS One. 2021 May 13;16(5):e0251320. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251320. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Improved understanding of multimorbidity (MM) treatment adherence in primary health care (PHC) in Brazil is needed to achieve better healthcare and service outcomes. This study explored experiences of healthcare providers (HCP) and primary care patients (PCP) with mental-physical MM treatment adherence. Adults PCP with mental-physical MM and their primary care and community mental health care providers were recruited through maximum variation sampling from nine cities in São Paulo State, Southeast of Brazil. Experiences across quality domains of the Primary Care Assessment Tool-Brazil were explored through semi-structured in-depth interviews with 19 PCP and 62 HCP, conducted between April 2016 and April 2017. Through thematic conent analysis ten meta-themes concerning treatment adherence were developed: 1) variability and accessibility of treatment options available through PHC; 2) importance of coming to terms with a disease for treatment initation; 3) importance of person-centred communication for treatment initiation and maintenance; 4) information sources about received medication; 5) monitoring medication adherence; 6) taking medication unsafely; 7) perceived reasons for medication non-adherence; 8) most challenging health behavior change goals; 9) main motives for initiation or maintenance of treatment; 10) methods deployed to improve treatment adherence. Our analysis has advanced the understanding of complexity inherent to treatment adherence in mental-physical MM and revealed opportunities for improvement and specific solutions to effect adherence in Brazil. Our findings can inform research efforts to transform MM care through optimization.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Attitude of Health Personnel
  • Brazil
  • Communication
  • Female
  • Health Personnel / psychology*
  • Humans
  • Interview, Psychological
  • Male
  • Medication Adherence
  • Middle Aged
  • Multimorbidity
  • Patient Compliance / psychology*
  • Patients / psychology*
  • Primary Health Care / methods
  • Primary Health Care / trends
  • Qualitative Research
  • Stakeholder Participation
  • Treatment Adherence and Compliance

Grants and funding

The work of MR was funded by the Coordination of Superior Level Staff Improvement - Brazil (CAPES), through the Science without Borders Programme for Young Talent Attraction, Brazil (fellowship number: CSF-PAJT-88887.090476/2014-00). The work of CAO was funded by the CAPES (Finance Code 001).