Exploring Barriers to Medication Adherence in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A qualitative Study

Background: Medication adherence is critical to achieving optimal treatment outcomes in patients with chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, non-adherence remains a common challenge, potentially leading to disease relapses, increased hospitalization rates, and decreased quality of life. Understanding the barriers to medication adherence from the patients perspective is essential for developing effective patient-centered interventions.Objective: This study aimed to explore the barriers faced by patients with inflammatory bowel disease in adhering to their medication.Method: A qualitative descriptive design was adopted, with semi-structured interviews conducted with a purposively selected group of adult patients with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis until data saturation was reached. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis to extract key themes related to patients experiences and beliefs about medication adherence. Study starts from January 15th, 2025 to March 10th, 2025.Results: The study results revealed several major sub themes barriers affecting patients adherence to medications, including Discontinue Due to Side Effects, stop medication upon symptom improvement, unavailability of prescribed therapy, discontinuation due to high cost, and forgetting to take medication. Analyses showed that these factors overlapped between individual, economic, and systemic factors.Conclusion: This study confirms that adherence to medication in patients with chronic inflammatory bowel disease is affected by a variety of barriers. This calls for comprehensive interventions that include health education, improved medication availability, financial support, and the introduction of support tools that enhance medication reminders. These interventions aim to improve treatment outcomes and enhance quality of life.