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Journals / New Trends in Medicine Sciences / 2026 / Volume: 7 Issue: 3

Adherence to Subcutaneous Immunotherapy (SCIT) During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Impact of Anxiety and Depression

Nurhan Sayaca(Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Bursa Şehir Hastanesi)0000-0002-3081-9098
Kübra Aşık Cansız(Yalova Training and Research Hospital)0000-0003-4407-2113
Cengiz Kirmaz(CELÂL BAYAR ÜNİVERSİTESİ, TIP FAKÜLTESİ, DAHİLİ TIP BİLİMLERİ BÖLÜMÜ, İÇ HASTALIKLARI ANABİLİM DALI, İMMÜNOLOJİ BİLİM DALI)0000-0001-8873-1681
Beyhan Özyurt(MANİSA CELÂL BAYAR ÜNİVERSİTESİ, TIP FAKÜLTESİ, DAHİLİ TIP BİLİMLERİ BÖLÜMÜ, HALK SAĞLIĞI ANABİLİM DALI)0000-0001-5377-4593
Eylem Yıldırım(UNIVERSITY OF HEALTH SCIENCES, İZMİR TEPECİK HEALTH RESEARCH CENTER)0000-0003-3998-2139
Pages
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Publication Date
2026-10-29
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Female gender and mite allergen immunotherapy were associated with higher rates of non-adherence.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Objective: Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is a cornerstone treatment for IgE-mediated allergic diseases and adherence to subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) is essential for achieving optimal therapeutic outcomes.
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Key Findings & Data:We aimed to evaluate SCIT adherence, identify the primary causes of treatment interruption, and investigate the relationship between anxiety/depression and SCIT adherence during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Conclusion & Impact:Female gender and mite allergen immunotherapy were associated with higher rates of non-adherence.
🔬Design:Survey & Empirical Study
📍Scope:2021 Verileri
⚙️Variables:Allergen Immunotherapy · COVID-19 · Subcutaneous Immunotherapy

Abstract

Objective: Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is a cornerstone treatment for IgE-mediated allergic diseases and adherence to subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) is essential for achieving optimal therapeutic outcomes. We aimed to evaluate SCIT adherence, identify the primary causes of treatment interruption, and investigate the relationship between anxiety/depression and SCIT adherence during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: This retrospective observational study included 191 patients underwent SCIT at a university allergy and immunology clinic between February 2021 and January 2022. Data were collected through structured face-to-face questionnaires assessing demographic characteristics, treatment duration, allergen type, comorbidities, SCIT interruption status, reasons for interruption, and symptom exacerbation. We evaluated the psychological status via the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Results: The mean age of participants was 35.9 ± 11.2 years, and 52.9% were female. A total of 70 patients (36.8%) interrupted SCIT during the pandemic. Analysis by allergen type revealed a statistically significant difference between pollen and mite groups (p < 0.001), whereas no significant differences were observed between venom and pollen or mite groups. Significant differences were identified between patients treated for ≤1 year and those receiving longer treatment durations (p < 0.05). However, no significant difference was found between treatment durations of 1–2 years and ≥3 years. These findings suggest that treatment duration has a more pronounced impact within the first year, while outcomes tend to converge with longer treatment periods. The most common reasons for treatment interruption were access difficulties (52.9%) and fear of infection (35%). Conclusion: Approximately one-third of patients discontinued SCIT treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic, primarily due to access-related challenges. Female gender and mite allergen immunotherapy were associated with higher rates of non-adherence.

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Cite This Article

Sayaca, N., Cansız, K. A., Kirmaz, C., Özyurt, B., Yıldırım, E. (2026). Adherence to Subcutaneous Immunotherapy (SCIT) During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Impact of Anxiety and Depression. New Trends in Medicine Sciences, Volume: 7 Issue: 3. https://doi.org/10.56766/ntms.1977258

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