The Effect of Motivational Interviewing on the Adherence to Medication of Patients With COVID-19 Diagnosed at Home

Summary Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the effect of health education supported by motivational interviewing on drug therapy compliance of patients with COVID-19 who are followed at home.Materials and Methods: 100 participants with a diagnosis of COVID-19 followed at home were divided into intervention (50) and control (50) groups by block randomization method. The data at the beginning of the study were obtained with the Introductory Information Form (16 questions). At the end of the study, the Medication Compliance Notification Scale and the level of satisfaction with medication (1 question) questionnaire were applied to the participants. The "Medicine Calendar" was used to track the drug use status of all participants. In the study, while the control group received standard COVID-19 drug therapy, in addition to the standard treatment to the intervention group; On the second day of the treatment, health education supplemented with motivational interviewing was conducted online.Results: At the end of the study, it was found that the mean score of drug compliance (16.12±5.37) of the participants in the intervention group was higher than the mean score of the participants in the control group (9.96±5.62) (p<0.05). The mean score of drug compliance (16.12±5.37) of the participants in the intervention group at the end of the study was higher than the mean score at the beginning of the study (11.02±4.03) (p<0.05). The mean adherence score of the control group at the end of the study (9.96±5.62) was found to be lower than the mean score of adherence (11.40±4.93) at the beginning of the study (p<0.05). At the end of the study, when the participants in the intervention group were examined, it was seen that they were higher than the participants in the control group.Conclusion: At the end of the study; The mean score of the intervention group's medication adherence scale increased significantly compared to the control group receiving standard medication; it was evaluated that this increase did not reach the desired level. This situation revealed how important the motivational interview-based health education given by nurses is in increasing drug compliance.

Inclusion Criteria:Those who volunteered to participate in the study18 years old and over,Able to read and write Turkish,Having a COVID-19 patient followed at home,Having the equipment to make video calls over the internet connection,Individuals with a drug compliance reporting scale score below 20 pointsExclusion Criteria:Contraindicated to use antiviral drug (Favipiravir) (liver failure, kidney failure, active chemotherapy treatment)Pregnant,Patients who were hospitalized for any reason during the study