Barriers to Drug Adherence

Abstract

Aim: This manuscript aims to investigate the patient’s side of the problem through indirect method of adherence measurement via patient questionnarie. Background: Lately, several phases to accomplish that patients continue therapy for chronic conditions for long periods has passed. Initially the patient was thought to be the core of the problem of compliance. The role of the health care providers was also addressed soon. Now we acknowledge that a system approach is required. The idea of compliance is associated too closely with blame, be it of providers or patients and the concept of adherence is a better way for understanding the dynamic changes required to maintain health over long periods of time. Methods: 792 patients of family practice outpatient clinic ( 400 female and 392 male )were recruited and given a questionnarie as to list their reasons for drug inadherence Results: Reasons for inadherence were as follows; Unwillingness to use drugs (42,04%), Media effects (38,76%), Forgetfullness (34,59%), Poor communication with health care provider (33,58%), Drug side effects (24,11%), Refusing the disease (22,22%), Multiple drug use already (19,06%), Concerns for accuracy of treatment (10,6%), and High costs of drugs (6,1%) Conclusion: Patients are explicitly effected by many factors for adherence. Improved adherence is primarily driven by improved management of diseases, including the increase awareness of issues surrounding adherence. That counts the physicians too. Inadherence warrants a bio-psychosocial approach and seemingly inadherent patients must be provided with a higher level of communication