Therapeutic adherence and quality of life in a palliative oncology outpatient unit of a Peruvian hospital 2021

Background: The study aimed to determine the relationship between pharmacological therapeutic adherence to pain treatment and quality of life in patients of a reference outpatient palliative unit in 2021. Patients and methods: Cross-sectional and observational research. In outpatients of a palliative referral unit in 2021, aged 18 years or older, with confirmed stage I, II, or III cancer of at least 6 months. The SF-36 questionnaire was used to assess quality of life and the therapeutic adherence scale. Authorization was obtained from the ethics committee and the statistical analysis was performed using Spearman’s Rho correlation test. Results: The median age was 63 years, sex female (66.1%), level of secondary education (39.1%), and occupation of housewife (34.8%). The most frequent diagnoses were breast, prostate, and cervical cancer. The adherence to pharmacological therapy was good in 49.5%, fair in 30.4%, and poor in 20.1%. Quality of life was very low in 42.9% and relatively low in 23.9% of patients. Pharmacological therapeutic adherence (r = 0.68) and its dimensions: control over medication and food intake (r = 0.65), behavioral medical follow-up (r = 0.64), and self-efficacy (r = 0.69) were significantly related to quality of life (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Pharmacological therapeutic adherence is directly related to quality of life in the outpatient palliative care unit of a Peruvian hospital.