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PILOT STUDY TO EVALUATE ADHERENCE TO TREATMENT USING THE MARS SCALE ON A SAMPLE OF ROMANIAN PATIENTS WITH CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES

ANDREEA SĂLCUDEAN 1#, GABRIELA STRETE 2, VIRGIL RADU ENATESCU 3, MARIANA CORNELIA TILINCA 4, ANDREEA BIANCA SASU 5, DANIELA EDITH CEANA 6, MONIKA KISS 7, RALUCA DUMACHE 8, BIANCA EUGENIA ŐSZ 9*, DANIELA RADU TEODORESCU 10#, DENISA ABRUDAN 11#, CRISTINA BODO 12, MELANIA COSMA 1, CARMEN RADU 13, EMILIAN COMSULEA 1

1Department of Ethics and Social Sciences, “George Emil Palade” University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș, 540142, Romania
2Department of Psychiatry, “George Emil Palade” University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș, 540142, Romania
3Department VIII Neuroscience-Discipline of Psychiatry, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Timișoara, 300041, Romania
4Department of Internal Medicine, “George Emil Palade” University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș, 540142, Romania
5Psychiatry Clinic 1, County Clinical Hospital Mureș, Târgu Mureș, Romania
6Sanitary Management and Public Health,”Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Timișoara, 300041, Romania
7Odorheiu Secuiesc Municipal Hospital, Santimbru street, 91, Odorheiu Secuiescu, Romania
8Department of Forensic Medicine, Bioethics, Deontology and Medical Law,”Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Timișoara, 300041, Romania
9Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy,“George Emil Palade” University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș, 540142, Romania
10Surgical Department X,” Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Timișoara, 300041, Romania
11Management Department, Faculty of Economics and Bussiness Administration, West University of Timișoara, 300115, Romania
12Psychiatry Clinic 2, County Clinical Hospital Mureș, Târgu Mureș, Romania
13Department of Forensic Medicine, “George Emil Palade” University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș, 540142, Romania

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Adherence to treatment is essential for therapeutic success. Unfortunately, several medical conditions require less satisfactory levels of adherence, with direct implications for therapeutic goals. Starting from these considerations, we aimed to evaluate, in a group of cardiovascular patients, the factors that contribute to obtaining and maintaining therapeutic adherence. For this purpose, we conducted a cross-sectional study, which, in addition to the standard clinical interview, also evaluated self- and hetero-assessment of the magnitude of adherence, levels of anxiety and depression. Also, a standardised questionnaire was prepared, which evaluated data related to the total monthly income, the distance to the nearest pharmacy, the length of time spent with the attending physician, data related to family support, the degree of awareness of the disease, the patient's perspective on the effectiveness of alternative medicine to the detriment of allopathic medicine and the fear of adverse reactions associated with allopathic medicine. Our research has shown that adherence to drug treatment is a complex process that, in turn, is influenced by several socio-demographic and psychological factors. Also, the environment is closely related to financial accessibility and the distance from the nearest pharmacy, which could result in low adherence. Last but not least, the involvement in the therapeutic alliance, measured by the time given to the patient by the family doctor and the specialist, as well as the patient's knowledge related to the disease, were found to be essential in increasing adherence.