Do Religiosity and Socio-demographic Factors Affect Adherence of Cancer Patients to Analgesics? An Egyptian Study

Background: Adherence of cancer patients to analgesics has not been adequately
addressed although nearly half of them in early stages and up to 80 % in later stages may
suffer from pain. Aim: to assess the adherence of cancer patients to analgesics as well as
the effect of religiosity and some selected socio-demographic factors among cancer
patients on coping with pain. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 92
cancer patients attending pain clinics of Mansoura University Hospital and Oncology
Center, Egypt. An interview questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. Adherence
and religious commitment rates were assessed using the 8-item Morisky Medication
Adherence Scale and 10-item Religious Commitment Inventory. Results: The overall
rates of analgesic adherence and religiosity among cancer patients were 67.4% and 64.1%
respectively. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the most independent significant
predictors of adherence to analgesics were high religious commitment (OR = 29.7), age ≤
47 years (OR = 24.2), marriage (OR = 23.4), and cancer with metastasis (OR = 6.5).
Conclusions: The study indicates significant factors relating to analgesic adherence, the
religiosity was the dominating one and could be helpful to improve adherence among
cancer patients particularly in countries with strong religious believes including Egypt.
Additional studies to improve adherence to pain medications among those desperate group
of patients are needed.