Exploring the Lived Experience of Medication Adherence among Chronic Disease Patients in Digital Health Contexts: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study
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Abstract
Medication adherence is a critical issue in pharmaceutical research and chronic disease management, as it directly influences treatment outcomes and patient quality of life. Recent studies have increasingly emphasized patient-centered care and digital health interventions, yet the experiential dimension of adherence remains insufficiently explored. However, current approaches largely rely on behavioral and quantitative frameworks, leaving unclear how patients with chronic illness experience and sustain long-term medication adherence in everyday life. Here, an interpretative phenomenological approach is employed to explore the lived experiences of patients and to reveal how adherence is constructed through emotional, social, cognitive, and technological dimensions. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with [number] adult patients diagnosed with chronic illnesses and undergoing long-term pharmacological treatment at [healthcare setting/location] and analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to identify essential themes. The findings show that medication adherence is experienced as an ongoing negotiation shaped by emotional burden, relational dynamics, understanding of treatment, and the supportive yet limited role of digital health tools. These results demonstrate that adherence is not merely a behavioral outcome but a meaning-centered process embedded in patients’ daily lives and personal interpretations of illness and care. These findings advance current understanding by reframing medication adherence as a lived experience and highlight the need for patient-centered pharmaceutical interventions that integrate emotional, social, and technological dimensions to improve long-term treatment outcomes.
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