Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic condition characterized by periods of remission and relapse, requiring long-term treatment adherence to maintain disease control and prevent complications. Anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) agents are widely used in the management of moderate to severe IBD; however, suboptimal adherence remains a significant clinical problem due to concerns related to adverse effects, treatment burden, and insufficient patient knowledge.

This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of a nurse-led, Health Belief Model (HBM)-based structured patient education program on treatment adherence among patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) receiving anti-TNF-α therapy. The study was conducted as a two-center trial between February and July 2024 in the gastroenterology inpatient units and outpatient clinics in Izmir, Turkey.

A total of 408 patients were screened, and 140 eligible patients were enrolled and allocated 1:1 to intervention (n=70) and control (n=70) groups.

Participants were randomized using stratified randomization to balance potential confounders, with strata defined by sex, age group (18-35, 36-54, ≥55), IBD type (ulcerative colitis/Crohn's disease), IBD diagnosis duration (<12, 13-24, 25-36 months), and anti-TNF treatment duration (<6, 6-12, 13-36 months). Assignments were generated via SPSS with a fixed block size within strata.

Eligible participants were adults (≥18 years), Turkish-literate, diagnosed with IBD for ≥6 months, using anti-TNF-α therapy for ≥3 months, able to communicate and cognitively competent, and willing to participate. Key exclusions included cognitive disorders (e.g., dementia/Alzheimer's), malignant/pre-malignant disease history, and use of more than four medications.

The intervention group received the HBM-based structured education, while the control group received standard education. Outcomes were assessed using a pre-test/post-test design to determine the program's impact on adherence-related measures.

This study was designed as a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effect of a nurse-led, structured patient education program based on the Health Belief Model on treatment adherence among patients receiving anti-TNF therapy. The study was conducted in two tertiary care hospitals in Türkiye between February and July 2024.

Eligible participants were allocated in a 1:1 ratio to either an intervention group or a control group using stratified randomization. Stratification variables included demographic and disease-related characteristics to ensure balance between study arms. Randomization sequences were generated using a computer-based randomization procedure.

Participants in the intervention group received a structured patient education program delivered by trained nurses and grounded in the constructs of the Health Belief Model, focusing on adherence-related beliefs, perceived benefits and barriers, and self-management of anti-TNF therapy. Participants in the control group received standard education routinely provided in outpatient clinical practice.

The study followed a pre-test/post-test design with follow-up assessment to evaluate changes over time. Outcome assessments were conducted at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and at follow-up. The effectiveness of the intervention was evaluated by comparing adherence-related outcomes between the intervention and control groups over time.

This trial aimed to contribute evidence on the role of theory-based, nurse-led patient education in supporting treatment adherence among patients receiving biologic therapies.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Aged 18 years or older
• Diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis)
• Diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease for at least 6 months
• Receiving anti-TNF-α therapy for at least 3 months
• Able to read and write in Turkish
• Able to communicate effectively
• Cognitively competent
• Provided written informed consent and agreed to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• Presence of cognitive disorders that may impair understanding or decision-making (e.g., dementia, Alzheimer's disease)
• History of malignant or premalignant disease
• Use of more than four concurrent medications (e.g., medications for hypertension, diabetes, cancer, or hematologic diseases)

Individual participant data (IPD) will not be shared because the data include sensitive health information collected from a relatively small patient population. Although all analyses were conducted using anonymized datasets, sharing IPD could pose a risk of indirect participant identification. Additionally, the informed consent obtained from participants did not include permission for public data sharing beyond aggregated and de-identified results.