Managing multiple medications can be challenging for many patients and negatively affect their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study examined the key factors that predict medication burden and HRQoL separately. The secondary aim was to investigate whether overall experience of medication burden mediates the relationship between the number of medications taken and HRQoL. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 348 participants. The average age of these participants was 31 years (SD ± 11.3 years). The average number of medications used was 3.2 (SD ± 1.6). The majority of the study participants experienced moderate (39.0%) to high (45.0%) levels of medication burden. Limited autonomy in adjusting their regimen and concerns about their medications were identified as major contributors to this burden. Hierarchical linear regression analysis indicated that overall experience of medication burden, self-rated health, and a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus significantly predicted medication burden. Similarly, self-rated health, dosing frequency, being female, and assistance with medicines were significant predictors of poor HRQoL. Mediation analysis revealed that overall experience of medication burden partially mediated the association between number of medicines used and HRQoL. These findings highlight the importance of addressing medication burden when developing interventions to avoid jeopardizing patients' HRQoL. Healthcare professionals should prioritize understanding the experiences of nonelderly patients with their medications and personalize treatment plans accordingly.
