Medication Adherence: Can We Do Better
"Talk About Prescriptions" Month
October 1987
Why isn't adherence better?
When patients don't use their prescribed medication properly, they don't get symptomatic relief, illnesses recur, chronic conditions remain uncontrolled, and communicable diseases are needlessly transmitted. Research has given Americans more and better medicines that work well to improve health. Yet it is clear that adherence has as great an impact on public health outcomes as technology.
Studies show that medication teaching programs can have a positive impact on improving adherence - and, in many ways, result in cost savings. Why, then, isn't adherence better? Different sources offer a variety of perspectives, indicating the complexity of the problem.
Here are some of the explanations.
Poor communication about instructions for use: Many patients don't understand how to take medicines correctly or how their medicines are supposed to work. Patients say that healthcare professionals are too busy and don't give thorough explanations. Providers say that they do provide necessary information, and that patients seem to understand because they don't ask questions.
Little realization of the importance of adherence: When patients don't know why they are taking a medicine or the potential consequences of misuse, motivation for adherence goes down.
Dislike / distrust of medication-taking: In a recent national survey patients said they didn't take medicines as prescribed because they didn't need the medicine, disliked taking medicines, felt their doctor was wrong, or just "did not want to take it."
Barriers relating to chronic illness:
- Medication-taking is sometimes viewed by patients as disrupting daily activities and normal functioning.
- Multiple drug regimens are too complicated.
- Daily medication use reinforces the "sick role." Discontinuing or self-regulating medicines can be a rejection of this role.
- Therapy for asymptomatic diseases such as high blood pressure has no short-term, tangible benefits.
- When therapy works and patients feel better, they stop taking their medications.
- Simple forgetfulness.
- Dislike or fear of side effects.
Top of Page
|
| 
