Medication Adherence: The Real Problem When Treating Chronic Conditions

摘要

Poor adherence to appropriate medication therapy has been shown to result in complications, death, and increased health care costs. Medication adherence in patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, hyper-lipidemia, asthma, and depression is a significant problem requiring intervention. According to the World Health Organization's (WHO) World Health Report 2003, the degree of medication nonadherence is so great and the consequences are of such concern that more people worldwide would benefit from efforts to improve medication adherence than from the development of new medical treatments. In fact, a number of studies have shown that, in developed countries, patients with chronic conditions have adherence rates of 50% to 60%, despite evidence that medication improves quality of life and prevents death. In developing countries, when poor access to health care, possible lack of diagnosis, and limited availability of medications are taken into account, poor adherence threatens all efforts to treat chronic conditions such as diabetes, depression, and HIV/AIDS."