“Take the tablet or don’t take the tablet?” - A qualitative study of patients’ experiences of self-administering anti-cancer medications

Sep 24, 2026

Uploaded by Franzy

Medication non-adherence is a prominent problem in cancer care, undermining health outcomes and straining healthcare resources. Patient-related influences on medication adherence (MA) are complex, interdependent, and not fully understood. This qualitative study examines experiences, perceptions, and needs of patients self-administering anti-cancer therapy, focusing on MA and side effect management. Semi-structured interviews and iterative thematic analysis were used to identify drivers of adherence and desired support needs.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

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Supportive Care in Cancer (2023) 31:680 [https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-023-08122-6](https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-023-08122-6) “Take the tablet or don’t take the tablet?”—A qualitative study of patients’ experiences of self‑administering anti‑cancer medications related to adherence and managing side effects Thu Ha Dang1,2,3 · Clare O’Callaghan4,5 · Marliese Alexander6,7 · Kate Burbury7,8 · Prem Prakash Jayaraman9 · Nilmini Wickramasinghe10,11,12 · Penelope Schofield7,13,14 Received: 15 July 2023 / Accepted: 16 October 2023 / Published online: 7 November 2023 © The Author(s) 2023 Abstract Purpose Medication non-adherence is a well-recognised problem in cancer care, negatively impacting health outcomes and healthcare resources. Patient-related factors influencing medication adherence (MA) are complicated and interrelated. Thereis a need for qualitative research to better understand their underlying interaction processes and patients’ needs to facilitate the development of effective patient-tailored complex interventions. This study aimed to explore experiences, perceptions, and needs relating to MA and side effect management of patients who are self-administering anti-cancer treatment. Methods Semi-structured audio-recorded interviews with patients who have haematological cancer were conducted. A comparative, iterative, and predominantly inductive thematic analysis approach was employed. Results Twenty-five patients from a specialist cancer hospital were interviewed. While self-administering cancer medications at home, patients’ motivation to adhere was affected by cancer-related physical reactions, fears, cancer literacy and beliefs, and healthcare professional (HCP) and informal support. Patients desired need for regular follow-ups from respectful, encouraging, informative, responsive, and consistent HCPs as part of routine care. Motivated patients can develop high adherence and side effect self-management over time, especially when being supported by HCPs and informal networks. Conclusion Patients with cancer need varied support to medically adhere to and manage side effects at home. HCPs should adapt their practices to meet the patients’ expectations to further support them during treatment. We propose a multi-dimensional and technology-and theory-based intervention, which incorporates regular HCP consultations providing tailored education and support to facilitate and maintain patient MA and side effect self-management. Keywords Medication adherence · Oral anti-cancer · Qualitative research · Side effects · Self-management Abbreviations CML CLL ET HCP MA SAMSON Chronic myeloid leukaemia Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia Essential thrombocythaemia Healthcare professional Medication adherence Safety and Adherence to Medication and Self-care advice in ONcology Introduction Oral cancer therapies have contributed to significantly improved survival [1–3] and reduced hospital stays for patients when compared to traditional chemotherapy treatments [4] . Extended author information available on the last page of the article However, to be effective, oral treatments require medication adherence (MA), meaning that the patient needs to take medications according to their doctor’s prescription [5] throughout long-term treatment [6, 7] . Despite the importance of MA, its rates varied between patients with different cancer types and could be as low as 14% for some anti-cancer regiments [8–10] . Consequently, patients may have low survival rates [11–13], disease progression, reduced functional ability, increased risk of hospitalisation, lower quality of life [3, 14–17], and increased utilisation of healthcare resources. Given the significant concern of medication non-adherence problems in cancer, there has been increasing research focus on its associated barriers [8, 18, 19] and solutions [5, 20–22] . Generally, MA is a complicated phenomenon that is influenced by multiple dimensions (groups of fa

FAQs

What was the study’s main purpose?

To explore experiences, perceptions, and needs related to medication adherence and side effect management among patients who self-administer anti-cancer treatment.

How were participants and data collected?

The study used semi-structured, audio-recorded interviews with patients who had haematological cancer, followed by comparative, iterative, predominantly inductive thematic analysis.

Which factors affected patients’ motivation to adhere?

Motivation was influenced by cancer-related physical reactions, fears, cancer literacy and beliefs, and both healthcare professional support and informal support.

Sep 24, 2026

Uploaded by Franzy