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Medication adherence: a challenge for patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis and other chronic illnesses.

Publication ,  Conference
Gold, DT
Published in: J Manag Care Pharm
July 2006

OBJECTIVE: To define medication adherence and describe the limitations of various assessment methods, reasons for nonadherence to medications used to manage chronic illness, the impact of nonadherence to osteoporosis medications, and strategies for improving medication adherence. BACKGROUND: Medication nonadherence is a major public health problem that adversely affects patient outcomes and increases health care utilization and costs. Postmenopausal osteoporosis is a chronic disease, and adherence to drug therapy used to manage the disease is as much of a challenge as it is in other chronic diseases. SUMMARY: Medication adherence reflects both compliance and persistence. Direct assessment methods (e.g., observation, laboratory serum drug assays) are more accurate than indirect methods, but they are more costly and often impractical. Indirect methods include patient self-report and the use of prescription refill records, pill counts, and electronic monitoring devices. Medication adherence in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis or other chronic illnesses is less than optimal. Adverse effects, financial constraints, mis-communication with the prescriber, and a perception that medications are unnecessary are among the possible reasons for medication nonadherence. Unintentional nonadherence is a passive process, often simply forgetting, and intentional nonadherence is an active process involving a deliberate choice, often based on adverse effects or a perceived lack of benefit. CONCLUSIONS: Nonadherence to osteoporosis medications can adversely affect patient outcomes and increase health care utilization and costs. An individualized approach to improving medication adherence based on patient preferences and readiness to change is needed.

Duke Scholars

Published In

J Manag Care Pharm

DOI

ISSN

1083-4087

Publication Date

July 2006

Volume

12

Issue

6 Suppl A

Start / End Page

S20 / S25

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Treatment Refusal
  • Self Administration
  • Reminder Systems
  • Pharmaceutical Preparations
  • Patient Satisfaction
  • Patient Education as Topic
  • Patient Compliance
  • Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal
  • Motivation
  • Male
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Gold, D. T. (2006). Medication adherence: a challenge for patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis and other chronic illnesses. In J Manag Care Pharm (Vol. 12, pp. S20–S25). United States. https://doi.org/10.18553/jmcp.2006.12.S6-A.S20
Gold, Deborah T. “Medication adherence: a challenge for patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis and other chronic illnesses.” In J Manag Care Pharm, 12:S20–25, 2006. https://doi.org/10.18553/jmcp.2006.12.S6-A.S20.
Gold, Deborah T. “Medication adherence: a challenge for patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis and other chronic illnesses.J Manag Care Pharm, vol. 12, no. 6 Suppl A, 2006, pp. S20–25. Pubmed, doi:10.18553/jmcp.2006.12.S6-A.S20.

Published In

J Manag Care Pharm

DOI

ISSN

1083-4087

Publication Date

July 2006

Volume

12

Issue

6 Suppl A

Start / End Page

S20 / S25

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Treatment Refusal
  • Self Administration
  • Reminder Systems
  • Pharmaceutical Preparations
  • Patient Satisfaction
  • Patient Education as Topic
  • Patient Compliance
  • Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal
  • Motivation
  • Male