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Effect of Therapy Reminder Application on Treatment Adherence in Adults with Beta-Thalassemia Major: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Articles InPress

Document Type : Original Article(s)

Authors

1 Department of Intensive Care Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

2 Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

3 Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

4 Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

10.30476/ijms.2025.104207.3783

Abstract

Background: Non-adherence to treatment in patients with beta-thalassemia major (BTM) presents a significant challenge in effective disease management. This study aimed to assess the effect of a therapy reminder application (app) on treatment adherence in adult patients with BTM in Mashhad in 2024.
Methods: A randomized clinical trial was conducted in 2024 at a thalassemia clinic affiliated with Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (Mashhad, Iran). Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups, using permuted block randomization, with concealed allocation. The intervention group used the ThalaMe therapy reminder app for 8 weeks (February-July 2024), while the control group received standard care. Medication adherence was measured using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) and the Chronic Disease Treatment Adherence Questionnaire (CDTAQ) before and after the intervention. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS software, using paired t tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests for within-group comparisons and independent t tests or Mann-Whitney U tests for between-group comparisons. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: The study included 76 adult patients with BTM, equally distributed between the intervention and control groups (n=38 each). Baseline measurements showed no significant differences between groups in either MMAS-8 scores (P=0.75) or CDTAQ scores (P=0.11). The MMAS-8 was inversely scored, with lower scores indicating higher adherence. Following the 8-week intervention period, the group using the ThalaMe app demonstrated significantly better adherence outcomes (1.05±0.78) than the controls (2.92±1.4, P<0.001). The intervention group had significantly higher CDTAQ scores (185.5±8.07) than the control group (151.79±27.08, P<0.001).
Conclusion: The therapy reminder app significantly enhanced medication adherence and treatment management in patients with BTM, while simultaneously enhancing patient and family engagement through counseling.
Trial registration number: IRCT20240222061079N1

Highlights

Fatemeh Mehrabadi (Google Scholar)

Mahdieh Arian (Google Scholar)

Keywords

References
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Iranian Journal of Medical Sciences

Articles InPress, Corrected Proof
Available Online from 16 August 2025
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History
  • Received: 28 September 2024
  • Revised: 10 January 2025
  • Accepted: 27 January 2025
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