ArticleBMC geriatrics2026
Confronting finitude and treatment adherence in older adults with chronic diseases: a qualitative study.
Article in BMC geriatrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAdherence in older adults with chronic conditions is shaped not only by clinical demands but also by how individuals interpret illness, ageing, and the time they perceive they have left. Understanding these meaning‑making processes is essential for developing person‑centred strategies that respond to the realities of multimorbidity and functional decline.
methodsA qualitative descriptive study was conducted using semi‑structured interviews with 32 older adults (mean age = 77.0 years) living with chronic illnesses in the metropolitan area of Porto, Portugal. A maximum‑variation sampling strategy captured diverse social, clinical, and functional contexts. Data were analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis within a constructivist paradigm.
resultsFive themes described how participants navigated treatment in daily life: (1) Finitude as a catalyst for meaning and therapeutic action: awareness of vulnerability and limited time informed an existential positioning toward self‑care, ranging from protective engagement to ambivalence; (2) Identity in metamorphosis: treatment adherence was negotiated through tensions between preserving autonomy and accommodating the "sick self"; (3) The relational basis of care: family, social contact, and loneliness shaped motivation and confidence in managing treatment; (4) Recognition in care: feeling listened to and respected reinforced trust, whereas rushed or dismissive encounters undermined engagement; (5) Systemic precariousness: access barriers, financial strain, and service shortages constrained what adherence was practically possible. Across themes, adherence emerged as a contextual, relational, and existential process shaped by personal priorities, support networks, communication quality, and structural feasibility.
conclusionsAdherence in later life reflects how older adults position themselves toward self‑care in the face of vulnerability, changing identities, and real‑world constraints. Clinical practice may benefit from linking recommendations to what matters most to patients, simplifying regimens, strengthening relational support, and addressing structural barriers. Tailoring care to patients' life contexts may foster more sustainable and meaningful engagement with treatment.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.