Adherence to prophylaxis and its association with activation of self-management and treatment satisfaction

Introduction: Prophylactic replacement therapy (prophylaxis) in patients with haemophilia (PWH) requires lifelong, frequent (self)infusions. Prophylaxis effectiveness depends on adherence, and the drivers of treatment adherence among PWH are unclear. Aim: To quantify prophylaxis adherence and associations between adherence and patients’ treatment attitudes and satisfaction in a large cohort of children and adults with haemophilia. Methods: In a nationwide, cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study, PWH with complete information currently using prophylaxis were selected. Validated Hemophilia Regimen Treatment Adherence Scale-Prophylaxis (VERITAS-Pro; normalised score range: 0–100, optimum 0) measured treatment adherence; the Patient Activation Measure (PAM-13; total score range 0–100, optimum 100) measured activation of self-management; Hemophilia Patient Satisfaction Scale (Hemo-Sat; range 0–100, optimum 0) measured treatment satisfaction. Groups were compared according to age (children: <12 years; adolescents: 12–18 years; adults >18 years) and adherence levels using non-parametric tests, and correlations were assessed using Spearman's rho. Results: Among 321 participants (median age 33 years, interquartile range [IQR]:15–54 years), adherence was high (median VERITAS-Pro total score 17, 89% adherent) but worsened with age, with median scores of 5, 14 and 20 in children, adolescents, adults, respectively (p <.001). Attitudes towards treatment (median 66 vs. 68) participants and treatment satisfaction (12 vs. 10) were similar between adherent and non-adherent patients. The VERITAS-Pro total score was moderately correlated with PAM-13 (r =.41) but not with Hemo-Sat (r = −.11). Discussion: Prophylaxis adherence was high (89%) but decreased significantly with age and was not correlated with treatment attitude or treatment satisfaction.