Adherence and perceived barriers to oral antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis B

Background: Globally, of the 248 million people chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV), 74 million reside in China. Five oral nucleot(s)ide analogs (NUCs) have been approved for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in China. Objectives: The aims of this study were to determine rates of adherence to NUC therapy in patients with CHB, to identify the self-perceived barriers to adherence, and to examine the factors associated with adherence. Methods: Questionnaire-based interviews were administered among Chinese patients with CHB at hepatology clinics of a tertiary hospital in the city of Wuhan, China. Adults aged 18 years or older prescribed with NUCs were recruited and interviewed to complete a 27-item questionnaire in a private setting, and adherence was measured using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8). Results: Among 369 participants, only 16.5% had high adherence (score of 8), 32.2% had medium adherence (score of 6 to