In our Evidence for Change series, we provide a brief overview of key behavioral science research that Atlantis Health applies in supporting patients living with long-term conditions to achieve optimal health outcomes and Change for Good.
"Medication non-adherence: Reflecting on two decades since WHO adherence report and setting goals for the next twenty years" Kardas, P., Bennett, B., Borah, B., Burnier, M., Daly, C., Hiligsmann, M., Menditto, E., Peterson, A. M., Slejko, J. F., Tóth, K., Unni, E., & Ágh, T. (2024). Frontiers in Pharmacology, 15, 1444012.
Challenge: Medication nonadherence represents a critical healthcare challenge where patients do not follow prescribed treatment protocols.
This widespread issue significantly impacts patient health outcomes, with up to 77% of multimorbid patients failing to adhere to their medication regimens.
The consequences are substantial, including increased healthcare utilization and medical costs, as well as compromised treatment effectiveness.
Nonadherence is often unintentional, but solutions aimed at addressing forgetting and other practical barriers have not improved nonadherence rates. Intentional nonadherence—driven by various factors such as patient perceptions and motivations, medication side effects, a lack of understanding of the condition and associated treatment plan, among others—also requires attention.
Both types of nonadherence need to be addressed through innovative strategies that focus beyond patient education to improve treatment adherence and overall patient care.
A panel of 10 international experts across Europe and the United States collaborated to:
The key message is that medication nonadherence is multifaceted with no single, simple answer. Interdisciplinary collaboration and a holistic approach will be key to addressing medication nonadherence in the decades to come, especially with the fields of behavioral science and health psychology.
To respond to adherence challenges successfully, it is crucial to harness advancements in behavioral sciences and health psychology.
At Atlantis Health, we specialize in behavioral science and health psychology to develop personalized and holistic patient support solutions that ensure effective patient engagement and adherence.
Working with pharmaceutical companies, biotech and healthcare organizations, we improve patient experiences and outcomes.
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