Medical Adherence Is Related To the Degree to Which a Person Properly Follows the Given Medical Advice Based On Their Illnesses

 

Medical adherence is defined as patient compliance to a treatment regimen. Typically, this refers to drug or medication compliance, but can also be an indicator of self-care or attendance at therapy sessions. For example, patients who adhere to their treatment plans are more likely to receive the best possible care. However, there is no single definition for patient compliance, and different levels of compliance are often found in the same population. For these reasons, it is important to understand how to assess patient medication adherence and improve its overall effectiveness.

Studies show that Medical Adherence is essential for patient safety and improving the quality of care. The World Health Organization estimates that poor medication adherence accounts for an estimated 50 percent of the morbidity and mortality of patients with chronic illnesses. These statistics also entail significant financial costs. In fact, a recent literature review revealed that 20% to 30 percent of new prescriptions never get filled. Despite the high costs of nonadherence, these costs may outweigh the benefits of medication adherence in terms of increased health care expenses.

The first step in improving patient medication adherence is to assess the readiness of patients for treatment. In this step, health care providers must identify potential barriers to medication adherence, provide educational interventions and relevant treatment knowledge, and develop a trusting relationship with patients. This counseling may need to continue throughout the course of the disease and should identify the various factors that may influence medical adherence to a medication regimen. For example, the patient's social background, disease-related stress, and his or her perception of the illness should all be considered.

While the cause of nonadherence is still unknown, some strategies include calling patients the day before a scheduled appointment, sending automated reminders, and sending messages to the patient's EHR patient portal. Some patients may be reticent to share their true medication-taking habits with their healthcare providers, so reassuring them that they are not being judged will be most effective. A physician should be prepared for these situations and should be ready to provide a solution.

The effects of age on medical adherence are mixed, with depression and co-payments having a negative impact. The effects of gender and insurance status were less clear. However, studies have shown that age does have a concave relation with medication adherence, with younger people having better medical adherence rates than older individuals. While medical adherence is impacted by the severity of the depression and co-payments, they are not sufficient to explain the differences among different age groups.

Nonadherence to prescribed medication can result in negative outcomes. If it is intentional, patients may not realize that taking a medication for asymptomatic conditions can lead to devastating long-term consequences. Many of these patients do not understand the importance of following their treatment regimen and may focus on short-term benefits rather than long-term consequences. In such cases, they may be unaware of the implications of medication non-medical adherence. However, there are several strategies that can help improve non-medical adherence, and patients can continue to live a life of independence.

There are a variety of factors that influence medication adherence. The most common are social, economic, and psychological factors. For example, socioeconomic status may influence medication adherence. The latter also affects the motivation to begin and complete treatment. Fortunately, there are many different ways to measure medication adherence. And, by defining the factors that influence it, doctors can determine what the best treatment for each patient is. And, most importantly, medical adherence is the foundation of successful treatment.