Anticoagulation adherence and its associated factors in patients with atrial fibrillation: a cross-sectional study

• Published in: BMJ open 2019-09, Vol.9 (9), p.e029974-e029974
• Main Authors: Chen, Pei-Ti, Wang, Tsae-Jyy, Hsieh, Ming-Hsiung, Liu, Ju-Chi, Liu, Chieh-Yu, Wang, Kwua-Yun, Laio, Wen-Chun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anticoagulants; Cardiac arrhythmia; Cardiovascular Medicine; Chronic illnesses; Cross-sectional studies; Data collection; Heart failure; Outpatient care facilities; Patient compliance; Patients; Quality of life; Questionnaires; Risk assessment; Stroke
• ISSN: 2044-6055; 2044-6055
• DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-029974

ObjectiveTo investigate anticoagulant adherence and its associated factors, including demographics, clinical variables, atrial fibrillation (AF) severity, knowledge, satisfaction with services, perceived barriers, perceived benefits, symptom severity and self-efficacy in patients with AF.DesignThis is a cross-sectional study.Participants and settingA convenient sample of patients with AF were recruited from cardiology clinics of two teaching hospitals in Taiwan.MeasuresData were collected using the study questionnaires, including the AF-related symptom subscale of the AF Severity Scale, the Knowledge of Warfarin Anticoagulation Treatment Scale, the Satisfaction Scale about Service and Warfarin Treatment, the perceived benefits subscale of the Beliefs about Anticoagulation Survey, the Concerns about Anticoagulation Therapy Scale, The Self-efficacy for Appropriate Medication Use Scale and the short-form Adherence to Refills and Medications Scale.ResultsA total of 151 patients with AF participated in the study; 53 treated with warfarin and 98 treated with novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs). The difference in adherence to warfarin (mean=8.6; SD=1.6) and NOACs (mean=8.9; SD=2.0) was statistically insignificant. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that perceived barriers (β=0.18, p=0.017) and self-efficacy (β=−0.48, p