Medication Belief is Associated with Improved Adherence to Exclusive Enteral Nutrition in Patients with Crohn’s Disease

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of Crohn’s disease (CD) has been increasing rapidly in China, and the role of exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) in the management of adult patients with active CD is evolving. Adherence is a key factor in the effective treatment of many chronic diseases. AIM: The aim of this study was to assess adherence to EEN of CD patients and to evaluate the relationship between medication belief and EEN adherence. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted, and demographic information, adherence to EEN, and beliefs about EEN were investigated. Medication belief was measured using the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ)-Specific. RESULTS: In all, 131 CD patients completed the questionnaire and were enrolled in this study. The high adherence rate was 73.3% (96 of 131 patients), and we found that medication belief, residency, medical insurance, and history of enteral nutrition therapy were factors affecting EEN adherence. More patients with a high BMQ score had high adherence to EEN (n = 54, 56.2%) compared to those with a low BMQ (n = 42, 43.8%). Moreover, price, taste, storage method, portability, and purchase convenience of EEN were not associated with adherence. CONCLUSION: The adherence to EEN among patients with CD is relatively high and is related to medication belief, residency and history of enteral nutrition. The type of enteral nutrition, taste, storage, and convenience of purchase were not associated with EEN adherence. Future study is warranted to explore the possible role of improving patients’ beliefs in increasing adherence.