Chronic Illness, Ahead of Print.
ObjectivesMedication taking in the management of chronic conditions causes a significant burden on individuals. The aim of this study was to explore the medication-related burden in ambulatory adult patients with chronic conditions in Malta.MethodsA cross-sectional survey utilising the living with medicines questionnaire V3 (LMQ V3) was conducted in Maltese residents over the age of 18 years, taking at least 1 medication for a chronic condition and recruited through community events. The overall LMQ score, the domain scores and the visual analog scale data were analysed to determine relationships with the demographic factors.ResultsA total of 337 responses were analysed revealing a moderate (42.4%) to high medication (36.8%) related burden. The drivers of medication-related burden were primarily: ‘side-effects of prescribed medication’ (r = −0.843, p < 0.001), ‘attitudes/concerns about medicine use’ (r = −0.830, p < 0.001) and ‘impact/interferences to day-to-day life’ (r = −0.820, p < 0.001). Lack of autonomy to vary the dosage regimen resulted in a higher burden (r = −0.260, p < 0.001). Males experienced an overall higher burden (p = 0.046) especially related to practical difficulties (p = 0.04), cost-related burden (p = 0.04) and side-effects of prescribed medication (p = 0.01).ConclusionMedication-related burden is complex and multi-faceted as demonstrated by the findings of this study. Healthcare professionals should seek to identify and address factors causing this burden to improve patient outcomes.