Relationship between Illness Severity, Medication adherence and Post-Traumatic Growth in Chronic Patients

Abstract

This study explored the impact of illness severity on medication adherence and post-traumatic growth (PTG). Chronic illnesses pose a series of psychological and physical challenges for patients that can affect their adherence to treatment and adaptation to trauma. A quantitative cross-sectional design was used to collect data from 400 chronic patients who were sampled using purposive sampling technique from healthcare institutions in district Gujrat. Data were collected using the Adaptive Illness Intrusiveness Ratings Scale (IIRS), Medication Adherence Report Scale-5 (MARS-5), and Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory-Short Form (PTGI-SF). Measures of central tendency, Pearson correlation, regression, and mediation analysis were performed. Results revealed that illness severity positively correlated with medication adherence and post-traumatic growth. The correlation coefficient between medication adherence and PTG was positive, indicating the significance of adherence to medication in psychological adjustment and growth. Moreover, mediation analysis further established that adherence to medication played an intermediary role in the association between illness severity and post-traumatic growth. The present study suggests that adherence to prescribed medications not only plays a significant role in the health outcomes of chronic illnesses but is also critical for positive psychological adaptation in chronic patients.