Adherence to medical treatment among chronically ill patients: use of positive airway pressure therapy

Abstract

Non-adherence to medical treatment is a chronic and complex issue involving patients of all ages with different types of diseases. Adherence to medical treatment, which refers to a patient’s ability to follow the recommendations prescribed by a physician or health care provider,1 is key to achieving a full recovery and improving quality of life. However, in many cases it is not effective, and this poses a major problem worldwide, as it is estimated that only 50% of patients follow treatment recommendations consistently.2,3 This may result in serious health outcomes, such as an increased likelihood of complications, a higher rate of hospitalization, and higher costs of medical care.3,4