Adherence (medicine)

Extent to which a person follows agreed medical treatment, medication, or health advice

Editor-In-Chief: Prab R Tumpati, MD
Obesity, Sleep & Internal medicine
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Patient adherence in medicine is the extent to which a person's behavior corresponds with agreed recommendations from a healthcare provider. It most often refers to medication adherence, but it also applies to diet, exercise, physical therapy, medical device use, self-monitoring, vaccination, screening tests, follow-up visits, and other parts of a treatment plan.Adherence to Long-Term Therapies: Evidence for Action(link). World Health Organization.

The term adherence is generally preferred over compliance because it emphasizes shared decision-making, patient autonomy, and collaboration rather than passive obedience. In modern patient-centered care, adherence is closely related to concordance, health literacy, shared decision-making, patient engagement, and therapeutic alliance.Medicines adherence: involving patients in decisions about prescribed medicines and supporting adherence(link). National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

Poor adherence is a major cause of preventable illness, avoidable hospitalization, treatment failure, disease progression, increased healthcare cost, and reduced quality of life. The World Health Organization has reported that adherence to long-term therapies for chronic diseases in developed countries averages about 50%, with lower rates in many resource-limited settings.Adherence to Long-Term Therapies: Evidence for Action(link). World Health Organization.

Overview

Patient adherence is important in nearly every area of healthcare. For acute illnesses, adherence may involve completing an antibiotic course, attending a follow-up appointment, using wound care correctly, or returning for urgent symptoms. For chronic illnesses, adherence may involve daily medication, lifestyle changes, monitoring, and long-term engagement with care.

Adherence is not only a patient behavior. It is influenced by the healthcare system, medication cost, access to care, regimen complexity, trust, communication, side effects, cultural beliefs, mental health, cognitive function, social support, and the patient's understanding of illness and treatment.

Terminology

Several related terms are used in clinical care, research, and health policy.

• Patient adherence - The degree to which a patient follows an agreed treatment or health plan.
• Medication adherence - The degree to which a patient takes medications as prescribed.
• Compliance - Older term implying that a patient obeys medical instructions; often considered less patient-centered.
• Concordance - A collaborative process in which clinician and patient agree on a treatment plan that respects the patient's values and preferences.
• Persistence - The length of time a patient continues a prescribed treatment.
• Initiation - Starting a prescribed treatment.
• Implementation - Taking treatment correctly during the period of use.
• Discontinuation - Stopping a medication or therapy.
• Non-adherence - Not following the agreed plan, intentionally or unintentionally.
• Primary non-adherence - Failure to start or fill a prescribed medication.
• Secondary non-adherence - Starting treatment but not taking it as prescribed or stopping early.
• Intentional non-adherence - Choosing not to follow treatment because of beliefs, concerns, cost, side effects, or preferences.
• Unintentional non-adherence - Not following treatment because of forgetfulness, misunderstanding, access barriers, cognitive impairment, or regimen complexity.

Medication adherence

Medication adherence is the most studied form of patient adherence.

• Dose adherence - Taking the correct dose.
• Timing adherence - Taking medication at the correct time.
• Frequency adherence - Taking medication the correct number of times per day.
• Refill adherence - Refilling prescriptions on time.
• Persistence - Continuing therapy for the recommended duration.
• Polypharmacy - Use of multiple medications, which can increase adherence difficulty.
• Medication reconciliation - Reviewing medications to reduce errors and improve clarity.
• Deprescribing - Stopping unnecessary medicines to reduce burden and adverse effects.
• Medication therapy management - Pharmacist-led review to improve safe and effective medicine use.

Medication non-adherence is common in chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, HIV infection, tuberculosis, epilepsy, depression, heart failure, and hyperlipidemia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that adherence to prescribed medications is associated with improved outcomes and reduced mortality in chronic disease management.CDC Grand Rounds: Improving Medication Adherence for Chronic Disease Management — Innovations and Opportunities(link). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Non-medication adherence

Patient adherence also includes non-drug components of care.

• Physical therapy - Completing prescribed exercises and attending therapy sessions.
• Diet therapy - Following nutrition recommendations for diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, or weight management.
• Exercise prescription - Performing recommended physical activity.
• Continuous positive airway pressure - Using CPAP for obstructive sleep apnea.
• Blood glucose monitoring - Checking glucose as recommended in diabetes care.
• Blood pressure monitoring - Measuring home blood pressure when advised.
• Wound care - Cleaning, dressing, and protecting wounds according to instructions.
• Medical device use - Correct use of inhalers, insulin pens, glucose monitors, pumps, braces, or oxygen equipment.
• Vaccination - Receiving recommended vaccines and booster doses.
• Screening - Completing recommended tests such as colonoscopy, mammography, cervical screening, or diabetic eye examination.
• Follow-up visit - Attending scheduled appointments and laboratory testing.
• Quarantine - Following public health instructions during contagious illness.
• Self-management - Daily behaviors used to manage chronic illness.

Importance

Adherence matters because even effective treatments may fail if they are not used correctly.

• Treatment failure - Poor adherence can make an effective therapy appear ineffective.
• Disease progression - Chronic illness may worsen when treatment is not followed.
• Hospitalization - Non-adherence can increase avoidable emergency visits and admissions.
• Mortality - Poor adherence is associated with higher risk of death in several chronic conditions.
• Drug resistance - Incomplete antimicrobial therapy can contribute to resistance in some infections.
• Public health - Non-adherence to treatment for infectious diseases can increase transmission.
• Healthcare cost - Poor adherence increases cost through complications and additional care.
• Quality of life - Effective adherence support can improve symptoms, function, and independence.
• Clinical trial validity - Non-adherence can distort research findings.
• Health equity - Adherence barriers often reflect social and economic inequities.

Factors affecting adherence

Adherence is influenced by interacting patient, clinician, treatment, disease, and system factors.

Patient-related factors

• Health literacy - Limited understanding of health information can reduce adherence.
• Beliefs - Personal beliefs about illness and treatment affect willingness to follow a plan.
• Motivation - Readiness to change behavior influences adherence.
• Memory - Forgetfulness is a common cause of missed doses.
• Cognitive impairment - Dementia or cognitive decline may impair treatment management.
• Depression - Depressive symptoms can reduce self-care and medication use.
• Anxiety - Fear of side effects or illness can affect adherence.
• Substance use disorder - May interfere with regular treatment.
• Cultural beliefs - Cultural understanding of illness can shape treatment decisions.
• Language barrier - Poor communication can lead to misunderstanding.
• Fear - Fear of diagnosis, stigma, needles, side effects, or dependence can reduce adherence.
• Stigma - Stigma affects adherence in conditions such as HIV, tuberculosis, mental illness, and substance use disorder.

Therapy-related factors

• Side effects - Adverse effects are a major reason for stopping treatment.
• Drug interaction - Interactions may cause symptoms or complicate the regimen.
• Pill burden - Multiple pills or frequent dosing reduces adherence.
• Complex regimen - Complicated schedules are harder to follow.
• Delayed benefit - Patients may stop therapy when benefits are not immediately felt.
• Asymptomatic disease - Conditions such as hypertension may not feel urgent to patients.
• Route of administration - Injections, inhalers, eye drops, and topical medicines require technique.
• Taste - Poor palatability can reduce adherence, especially in children.
• Treatment duration - Long-term or lifelong treatment is harder to maintain.
• Medication access - Pharmacy availability and refill systems affect adherence.

Disease-related factors

• Chronic disease - Long-term illness often requires sustained adherence.
• Multimorbidity - Multiple conditions increase treatment complexity.
• Symptom burden - Severe symptoms may motivate treatment, but can also impair self-care.
• Asymptomatic condition - Lack of symptoms may reduce perceived need.
• Relapsing disease - Symptoms that come and go can lead to irregular medication use.
• Mental disorder - Psychiatric illness may affect insight, motivation, and routine.
• Pain - Chronic pain can either increase medication use or reduce engagement.
• Disability - Physical limitations may make self-care difficult.

Clinician and communication factors

• Physician-patient relationship - Trust and communication strongly influence adherence.
• Shared decision-making - Involving patients in decisions improves acceptance of therapy.
• Empathy - Supportive communication encourages honest discussion of barriers.
• Teach-back method - Asking patients to repeat instructions helps identify misunderstanding.
• Medication counseling - Clear explanation of purpose, dose, side effects, and expected benefit supports adherence.
• Cultural competence - Care that respects language, culture, and beliefs can improve engagement.
• Nonjudgmental communication - Encourages patients to disclose missed doses or concerns.
• Continuity of care - Ongoing relationship with a care team supports long-term adherence.

Health-system and social factors

• Medication cost - High out-of-pocket cost is a major barrier.
• Insurance coverage - Coverage restrictions, formularies, and prior authorization can reduce access.
• Transportation - Difficulty reaching clinics or pharmacies can reduce adherence.
• Food insecurity - Competes with healthcare spending and affects diet-related recommendations.
• Housing instability - Makes medication storage and routine difficult.
• Work schedule - Irregular hours can interfere with dosing and visits.
• Caregiver support - Family or caregiver help can improve adherence.
• Pharmacy access - Distance, hours, stock, and refill processes matter.
• Digital access - Lack of phone, internet, or digital literacy can limit reminder tools.
• Social determinants of health - Economic and social conditions shape treatment success.

Measuring adherence

No single measurement method is perfect. Clinicians and researchers often combine several approaches.

• Self-report - Patient describes medication use or treatment behaviors.
• Medication diary - Patient records doses or behaviors.
• Pill count - Remaining medication is counted to estimate use.
• Pharmacy refill record - Refill timing is used to calculate adherence.
• Proportion of days covered - Pharmacy-based measure estimating days with medication available.
• Medication possession ratio - Refill-based estimate of medication availability.
• Electronic medication monitor - Bottle cap or device records openings.
• Directly observed therapy - Treatment is observed by a healthcare worker or trained observer.
• Drug level monitoring - Blood or urine levels can confirm exposure for some medications.
• Biomarker - Biological marker may suggest adherence, such as viral load in HIV care.
• Prescription claims data - Administrative data used for population adherence measurement.
• Smart inhaler - Records inhaler use electronically.
• Remote patient monitoring - Digital devices track self-care behaviors and physiologic data.

Common adherence scales

Several validated tools are used in research and clinical care.

• Morisky Medication Adherence Scale - Questionnaire used to identify medication-taking behavior.
• Medication Adherence Report Scale - Self-report tool assessing adherence behavior.
• Brief Medication Questionnaire - Tool assessing regimen, beliefs, and recall barriers.
• Hill-Bone Compliance Scale - Used especially in hypertension research.
• Adherence Starts with Knowledge - Tool used to assess adherence-related barriers.
• Treatment Burden Questionnaire - Assesses the burden of healthcare work on patients.
• Patient Activation Measure - Measures knowledge, skill, and confidence in self-management.

Barriers to adherence

Barriers may be intentional or unintentional.

Intentional barriers

• Fear of side effects - Patient avoids treatment because of concern about harm.
• Perceived lack of need - Patient does not believe treatment is necessary.
• Doubt about benefit - Patient is uncertain that treatment will help.
• Mistrust - Lack of trust in clinicians, health systems, or medicines.
• Stigma - Concern about others knowing the diagnosis.
• Preference conflict - Treatment does not match patient values or goals.
• Previous bad experience - Past adverse effects or poor communication reduce trust.
• Alternative medicine preference - Patient may choose another approach instead of prescribed therapy.

Unintentional barriers

• Forgetfulness - Patient forgets doses or appointments.
• Low health literacy - Instructions are misunderstood.
• Complex dosing - Multiple times per day is difficult to follow.
• Visual impairment - Difficulty reading labels or measuring doses.
• Manual dexterity problems - Difficulty opening bottles, using inhalers, or injecting medication.
• Cognitive impairment - Difficulty managing complex routines.
• Pharmacy delay - Prescription not filled or refill not available.
• Cost barrier - Patient cannot afford medication or supplies.
• Transportation barrier - Patient cannot reach clinic or pharmacy.
• Language barrier - Instructions are not understood.

Strategies to improve adherence

Interventions work best when tailored to the patient's barriers. A Cochrane review found that adherence interventions vary widely and that simple interventions may help short-term treatment, while long-term adherence often requires complex, multifaceted approaches.Interventions for enhancing medication adherence(link). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

Patient-centered communication

• Shared decision-making - Clinician and patient choose a plan together.
• Motivational interviewing - Counseling style that explores ambivalence and supports change.
• Teach-back method - Patient explains the plan back to confirm understanding.
• Plain language - Simple wording improves comprehension.
• Decision aid - Tool that helps patients compare treatment options.
• Goal setting - Clear goals can increase motivation.
• Action plan - Written steps help patients know what to do.
• Nonjudgmental discussion - Encourages honesty about missed doses or barriers.

Simplifying treatment

• Once-daily dosing - Often easier than multiple daily doses.
• Fixed-dose combination - Combines multiple medicines into one pill.
• Medication synchronization - Aligns refill dates for multiple medicines.
• Deprescribing - Reduces unnecessary medicines.
• Blister pack - Packaging that organizes doses by day or time.
• Pill organizer - Weekly or monthly container used to organize medicines.
• Long-acting formulation - Reduces dosing frequency.
• Long-acting injectable - May improve adherence for selected conditions.
• Simplified instructions - Clear written instructions reduce confusion.

Reminder and support tools

• Text messaging - Reminders can support medication use and appointment attendance.
• Mobile app - Digital tool for reminders, tracking, and education.
• Smart pill bottle - Electronic container that tracks openings or sends alerts.
• Calendar reminder - Simple tool for daily treatment routines.
• Automated phone call - Reminder system for refills or appointments.
• Pharmacy reminder - Refill alerts from a pharmacy.
• Caregiver reminder - Family or caregiver support for medication routines.
• Remote patient monitoring - Devices transmit health data and may prompt follow-up.

Pharmacy-based interventions

• Medication therapy management - Pharmacist reviews medicines and adherence barriers.
• Medication synchronization - Pharmacy aligns refill dates.
• Automatic refill - Reduces gaps in medication supply.
• 90-day supply - May reduce refill burden for stable long-term medications.
• Adherence packaging - Blister packs or dose packs organize treatment.
• Generic drug substitution - May reduce cost.
• Pharmacist counseling - Helps patients understand purpose, dosing, and side effects.
• Collaborative care - Pharmacists and clinicians work together to adjust therapy.

The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends tailored pharmacy-based interventions to support adherence to medications used to prevent cardiovascular disease, and CDC describes these interventions as cost-effective for cardiovascular prevention.Pharmacy-Based Interventions to Improve Medication Adherence(link). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Reducing cost barriers

• Generic medication - Usually less expensive than brand-name medication.
• Formulary review - Choosing covered medicines can reduce cost.
• Patient assistance program - Program that helps eligible patients obtain medicines.
• Copayment reduction - Lower out-of-pocket cost can improve access.
• Mail-order pharmacy - May improve convenience and supply continuity.
• Prescription discount program - May reduce cost for selected drugs.
• Insurance navigation - Helps patients address coverage and prior authorization issues.
• Therapeutic substitution - Uses a clinically appropriate lower-cost alternative.

Adherence in chronic diseases

Hypertension

Medication adherence is central to hypertension control. Poor adherence can lead to uncontrolled blood pressure and increased risk of stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease. CDC notes that nonadherence to antihypertensive medication can result in uncontrolled hypertension and increased cardiovascular risk.Relationship Between Adherence to Antihypertensive Medication Regimen and Out-of-Pocket Costs Among People Aged 35 to 64 With Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance(link). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

• Home blood pressure monitoring - Helps patients see the effect of therapy.
• Fixed-dose combination - May reduce pill burden.
• Low-sodium diet - Lifestyle adherence supports blood pressure control.
• Medication cost - Important barrier to antihypertensive adherence.
• Side effect management - Cough, dizziness, fatigue, or swelling may require medication adjustment.

Diabetes mellitus

Adherence in diabetes mellitus includes medication use, nutrition, activity, glucose monitoring, foot care, and follow-up.

• Metformin - Common first-line medication that may cause gastrointestinal side effects.
• Insulin therapy - Requires injection technique, dosing knowledge, and glucose monitoring.
• Glucose monitoring - Helps guide treatment decisions.
• Continuous glucose monitor - May improve feedback and engagement for selected patients.
• Medical nutrition therapy - Diet adherence is central to diabetes management.
• Diabetic foot care - Daily self-care reduces complications.
• Hemoglobin A1c - Laboratory marker used to assess long-term glycemic control.

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Adherence includes both medication use and correct inhaler technique.

• Inhaler technique - Incorrect technique can mimic non-adherence.
• Controller medication - Preventive inhalers must be used regularly.
• Rescue inhaler - Overuse may indicate poor control.
• Spacer - Can improve inhaler delivery.
• Asthma action plan - Written plan improves self-management.
• Smoking cessation - Important in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
• Pulmonary rehabilitation - Requires attendance and exercise participation.

HIV infection

Adherence to antiretroviral therapy is essential to suppress viral replication, prevent drug resistance, improve survival, and reduce transmission.

• Antiretroviral therapy - Requires sustained adherence.
• Viral load - Biomarker of treatment success and adherence.
• Drug resistance - Can emerge when therapy is inconsistent.
• Stigma - Major barrier to adherence.
• Long-acting injectable antiretroviral - Option for selected patients.
• Treatment as prevention - Viral suppression prevents sexual transmission of HIV.

Tuberculosis

Adherence to tuberculosis treatment is essential to cure disease and prevent transmission and resistance.

• Directly observed therapy - Observation of medication ingestion used in some TB programs.
• Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis - Can result from inadequate or interrupted treatment.
• Treatment completion - Key public health outcome.
• Public health nurse - Often supports TB treatment adherence.
• Contact tracing - Works alongside treatment adherence to control spread.

Mental health conditions

Adherence in mental health is affected by insight, side effects, stigma, and therapeutic relationship.

• Depression - Can reduce motivation and self-care.
• Schizophrenia - Insight and medication side effects can affect adherence.
• Bipolar disorder - Patients may stop medication during improved mood or because of side effects.
• Psychotherapy - Attendance and participation are forms of adherence.
• Long-acting injectable antipsychotic - May help selected patients.
• Shared decision-making - Important to address preferences and concerns.

Special populations

Children and adolescents

• Caregiver - Often responsible for medication administration.
• Adolescent - Increasing independence may reduce adherence.
• School nurse - May support medication use during school hours.
• Taste - Palatability affects pediatric adherence.
• Family-centered care - Involves both child and caregiver.
• Transition of care - Adolescents with chronic disease need support moving to adult care.

Older adults

• Polypharmacy - Multiple medications increase complexity.
• Cognitive impairment - Can reduce ability to follow regimens.
• Visual impairment - Makes labels difficult to read.
• Falls - Side effects may increase fall risk and lead to non-adherence.
• Medication review - Important to reduce unnecessary medicines.
• Caregiver support - May be needed for safe medication use.

Pregnancy

• Pregnancy - Medication adherence must consider maternal and fetal risks and benefits.
• Prenatal care - Appointment adherence is important.
• Folic acid - Preventive supplement adherence matters before and during early pregnancy.
• Gestational diabetes - Requires diet, glucose monitoring, and sometimes medication adherence.
• Hypertension in pregnancy - Treatment adherence can reduce maternal risk.
• Medication safety - Fear of fetal harm may reduce adherence.

Low-resource settings

• Access to medicines - Supply interruptions reduce adherence.
• Cost - Out-of-pocket payment may prevent treatment.
• Transportation - Distance to clinics or pharmacies can be a barrier.
• Health workforce shortage - Limits counseling and follow-up.
• Community health worker - Can support education, follow-up, and treatment completion.
• Mobile health - Text reminders and phone follow-up may support adherence.

Digital health and adherence

Digital tools can support adherence, but effectiveness depends on design, usability, access, privacy, and integration with care.

• Mobile health - Use of mobile phones and apps in healthcare.
• Medication reminder app - Sends alerts for doses and refills.
• Smart pill bottle - Tracks openings and may send reminders.
• Electronic health record - Can identify refill gaps and missed appointments.
• Patient portal - Provides access to instructions, test results, and messaging.
• Telemedicine - Reduces access barriers for follow-up.
• Remote patient monitoring - Tracks blood pressure, glucose, weight, oxygen saturation, or other measures.
• Artificial intelligence in healthcare - May help identify adherence risk, but requires careful validation and equity safeguards.
• Digital divide - Unequal access to technology can worsen disparities.
• Data privacy - Digital adherence tools must protect sensitive health information.

Ethical considerations

Adherence support should respect patient autonomy and avoid blame.

• Autonomy - Patients have the right to make informed choices.
• Informed consent - Patients should understand benefits, risks, and alternatives.
• Shared decision-making - Ethical approach to treatment planning.
• Confidentiality - Adherence data must be protected.
• Nonmaleficence - Monitoring should not cause unnecessary harm or coercion.
• Health equity - Interventions should address structural barriers, not blame patients.
• Stigma - Language should avoid shaming people for non-adherence.
• Therapeutic alliance - Trust supports honest conversation and better care.

Clinical approach to non-adherence

Clinicians should assess non-adherence in a respectful and practical way.

• Normalize - Explain that many people miss doses or have difficulty with treatment.
• Ask open-ended questions - Invite honest discussion about barriers.
• Assess cost - Ask whether the patient can afford the medication.
• Review side effects - Identify adverse effects and offer alternatives.
• Check understanding - Use teach-back to confirm instructions.
• Simplify regimen - Reduce dosing frequency and pill burden when possible.
• Align with goals - Connect treatment to what matters to the patient.
• Use reminders - Match reminders to patient preference.
• Engage caregivers - Include family or caregivers when appropriate and permitted.
• Follow up - Reassess adherence after changes.

Research

Adherence research studies how people start, continue, interrupt, or stop treatment.

• Behavioral science - Studies motivation, habit, belief, and decision-making.
• Implementation science - Studies how to integrate adherence interventions into real-world care.
• Health services research - Examines systems, access, cost, and quality.
• Pharmacoepidemiology - Uses population data to study medication use and outcomes.
• Randomized controlled trial - Tests adherence interventions.
• Pragmatic clinical trial - Tests interventions in routine care settings.
• Real-world evidence - Uses clinical, pharmacy, claims, or device data.
• Patient-reported outcome - Captures the patient experience.
• Equity research - Studies disparities and structural barriers to adherence.

Limitations of adherence research

Adherence is difficult to measure and interpret.

• Measurement bias - Self-report often overestimates adherence.
• Hawthorne effect - Monitoring may change behavior.
• Confounding - Adherent patients may differ from non-adherent patients in many ways.
• Healthy adherer effect - People who adhere to medication may also engage in other healthy behaviors.
• Short follow-up - Some studies do not measure long-term persistence.
• Heterogeneous intervention - Different interventions make comparison difficult.
• Clinical outcome - Improved adherence does not always translate into measurable outcome improvement.
• Generalizability - Results may not apply across populations, diseases, or health systems.

Patient education

Patients should be encouraged to discuss treatment barriers openly.

• Ask questions - Patients should ask what the treatment is for and how it helps.
• Report side effects - Side effects should be discussed before stopping therapy.
• Discuss cost - Lower-cost alternatives may be available.
• Use reminders - Alarms, pill boxes, calendars, or apps can help.
• Keep a medication list - An updated list improves safety.
• Bring medicines to visits - Brown-bag review helps identify confusion or duplication.
• Use one pharmacy - Helps detect interactions and refill problems.
• Plan refills - Refill before running out.
• Share goals - Tell clinicians what outcomes matter most.
• Do not stop abruptly - Some medicines should not be stopped without medical advice.

When to seek medical advice

Patients should contact a healthcare professional when treatment is difficult to follow or symptoms worsen.

• Side effects - New or severe side effects should be reviewed.
• Medication cost - Clinicians or pharmacists may help find alternatives.
• Missed dose - Ask what to do if doses are missed.
• Complex regimen - Request simplification when possible.
• Pregnancy - Discuss medication safety before stopping treatment.
• Allergic reaction - Rash, swelling, breathing difficulty, or severe reaction requires urgent care.
• Worsening symptoms - May indicate treatment failure or non-adherence.
• Mental health symptoms - Depression or anxiety can interfere with self-care.
• Cognitive difficulty - Memory problems may require caregiver support or simplified systems.
• Hospital discharge - Medication changes after hospitalization should be reviewed.

See also

• Medication adherence
• Patient compliance
• Concordance
• Shared decision-making
• Physician-patient relationship
• Health literacy
• Patient education
• Medication therapy management
• Pharmacy
• Clinical pharmacology
• Chronic disease management
• Self-care
• Remote patient monitoring
• Telemedicine
• Digital health
• Social determinants of health
• Health behavior
• Motivational interviewing
• Patient engagement
• Healthcare quality

Further reading

• Adherence to Long-Term Therapies: Evidence for Action(link). World Health Organization.
• Medicines adherence: involving patients in decisions about prescribed medicines and supporting adherence(link). National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
• CDC Grand Rounds: Improving Medication Adherence for Chronic Disease Management — Innovations and Opportunities(link). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Pharmacy-Based Interventions to Improve Medication Adherence(link). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• "Interventions for enhancing medication adherence".Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.2014;(11)doi:10.1002/14651858.CD000011.pub4.PMID:25412402.

External links

• WHO - Adherence to Long-Term Therapies
• NICE - Medicines adherence
• CDC - Improving Medication Adherence for Chronic Disease Management
• CDC - Pharmacy-Based Interventions to Improve Medication Adherence
• Cochrane - Interventions for enhancing medication adherence
• CDC - Antihypertensive medication adherence and out-of-pocket costs

1. CDC Grand Rounds: Improving Medication Adherence for Chronic ...