Zühal DEMİRCİ, Fatma Keklik KARADAĞ, Lale Aydın KAYNAR, Aydan AKDENİZ, Özgür MEHTAP, Sinan MERSİN, Mehmet SÖNMEZ, Merve KESTANE, Fahri ŞAHİN
Journal of Current Hematology & Oncology Research - 2026;4(2):40-46
Aims : Despite advances in hemophilia management, maintaining optimal treatment adherence remains a significant challenge, particularly when access to healthcare services is limited. To evaluate treatment adherence among adult patients with hemophilia during a period of restricted access to healthcare services, with particular emphasis on the roles of health literacy and communication with healthcare professionals. Methods : A total of 128 adult patients with moderate or severe hemophilia were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Treatment adherence was assessed using the Validated Hemophilia Regimen Treatment Adherence Scale-Prophylaxis (VERITAS-Pro), which evaluates six domains: time, dose, plan, remember, skip, and communicate. Self-reported adherence, infusion practices, annual bleeding rate (ABR), age, and treatment-related variables were analyzed. Pearson correlation analysis and group comparisons were performed to examine associations between variables. Results : The median age of participants was 39 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 32-47). Most patients had hemophilia A (84.4%) and severe disease (77.3%), and 82.8% reported current target joints. The mean VERITAS-Pro total score was 47.8+/-9.7, with 85.9% classified as adherent. High adherence was observed in timing (85.9%), planning (93.8%), remembering (93.0%), and skipping (85.9%), whereas communication represented the weakest adherence domain. Patients with higher ABR demonstrated significantly poorer communication scores (p=0.007). Self-infusion was associated with significantly better adherence across multiple domains, including total score, timing, and planning (p<0.05). Infusions administered at the beginning of the day were also associated with higher adherence. Age showed a weak, non-significant correlation with total adherence scores (r=0.144, p=0.104). Conclusion : Structured infusion routines and self-infusion practices appear to improve treatment adherence among adult patients with hemophilia. Communication with healthcare professionals remains a critical challenge, particularly among patients with higher bleeding frequency. Interventions targeting patient-provider communication may further enhance adherence outcomes.
