Patients’ knowledge and awareness about patient support programs: a cross-sectional study on Lebanese adults with chronic diseases

Abstract

Objective Patient Support Programs (PSPs) have become a trend among pharmaceutical companies and a standard service offering to patients. The objective of the present study is to describe the status of PSPs in Lebanon and to assess the extent of knowledge and awareness among Lebanese patients about the PSPs. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted between April and July 2017. A convenient sample of patients was randomly selected from outpatient clinics at four hospitals within the Greater Beirut Area. A questionnaire was used to address the study objective. Bivariate analysis was performed using the Chi-square test. Data were analyzed by using SPSS version 23. Results Out of 385 patients who participated in the study, 45.45 percent were aged between 46 and 66 years. None of them indicated that they were enrolled in a PSP, and only 13 percent of the respondents were aware of the existence of such a program. In terms of adherence habits, 55.6 percent of the patients self-reported that they do not skip any dose of their medication and consume their medication as prescribed by their healthcare providers. The main reason for nonadherence reported by the majority of nonadherent participants 144 (84.2%) was simple forgetfulness. Conclusions There is a severe lack of awareness of PSPs in Lebanon. Given the important role that PSPs play in creating value for patients—in terms of healthcare follow-up practices, improved adherence habits, and cost savings—there should be a more substantial effort by pharmaceutical companies to expand and promote their PSPs in the Lebanese market.

Impact of patient support programmes among patients with severe asthma treated with biological therapies: a systematic literature review and indirect treatment comparison

“…Additional considerations, such as culturally informed educational components for patient subpopulations, may improve the outcomes observed following PSP participation 47. Unintentional non-adherence to treatment is common in patients with asthma but can be improved through participation in PSPs that feature educational programmes and clinician support 48 49. Smartphone-based applications, medical devices and teleconsultations are increasingly used to improve patient adherence and reduce HCRU, particularly as healthcare systems incorporate new patient support paradigms brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic 50 51.…”

Prevalence and nature of manufacturer-sponsored patient support programs for prescription drugs in Canada: a cross-sectional study

“…1 Pharmaceutical company-sponsored patient support programs, designed to lessen financial and clin ical barriers for patients and prescribers to starting and sustaining treatment, exist in high and middleincome countries globally. [2][3][4][5][6][7] Once prescribed the treatment, patients are referred to the pro gram by their health care provider or they may selfenroll. They are then contacted by a program coordinator, typically a regis tered nurse who may help the patient navigate insurance cover age options, coordinate home drug delivery, teach selfinjection techniques, answer questions on an oncall basis and conduct follow up to support patient treatment adherence.…”