The relationship between the perception of illness and health outcomes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosis spondylitis: A study on self-regulatory model

It is very important to evaluate psychosocial components which influence medication adherence that is critical health behavior for RA and AS patients. Therefore, the mediator role of beliefs of medicines between illness perception and medication adherence relationships are studied in the Self Regulatory Model (SRM). Firstly in this study, it is aimed to test the appropriateness of SRM in medication adherence for RA and AS patients. Another purpose of the study is to evaluate the effect of patient satisfaction, which is the product of the expectation of patients from the health care system, in SRM in medication adherence. Besides, the psychological status, which is predicted by the medication adherence that is determined as health behavior, is also added to the model. In this respect, the explanation power of the Expanded Self Regulatory Model (ESRM) on the sample is examined by means of addressing predictor and predicted variables of SRM. This studies' sample consists of 112 RA and 110 AS patients who were treated to medicines and whose age are between 18-65 years. The Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ) which was used to evaluate the illness perception, The Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ) to evaluate the thoughts about the medication, the Medication Adherence Report Scale to assess the adherence behavior of the patients, to evaluate the psychological status of the participants using Patient Health Questionnaire-Somatic Anxiety and Depression (PHQ-SAD), the Sociodemographic and Clinical Information Form in order to gain age, education, income level, and clinical characteristics are asked to fill out by patients. The necessary ethical permits were obtained before the implementation part of the study. First of all, it is defined by descriptive analyses that socio-demographic traits resemble other studies in the literature. Then, it has occurred that the first aim of the study is verified, and the second aim of the study is comparatively verified in the structural equation modelings that are set in the context of studies aim. It is discovered that patient satisfaction and psychological status are directly related to medication adherence, not by means of SRM. Findings in the study are handled by comparing other studies in the field. Studies importance with respect to clinical health psychology' paradigm is also explained. Besides that, it is seen that the findings of the study are a kind of guide for generating biopsychosocial interference and includes applicable information for the treatment of RA and AS patient. Keywords: Medication Adherence, Illness Perception, Patient Satisfaction, Beliefs about Medicines, Psychological Status, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis.