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Adherence in chronic disease.
J Dunbar-Jacob1, J A Erlen, E A Schlenk
1Schools of Nursing and Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, USA.
Annual Review of Nursing Research
|August 5, 2000
Summary
Patient adherence to treatment plans for chronic diseases is a significant issue, affecting about half of individuals and limiting treatment effectiveness. Understanding and improving adherence across all ages and conditions requires further research and better measurement tools.
Area of Science:
- Medical adherence research
- Chronic disease management
- Patient compliance studies
Background:
- Nonadherence to treatment regimens is a widespread challenge for patients managing chronic disorders.
- Approximately 50% of patients with chronic diseases struggle with adherence, hindering optimal clinical benefits.
- Adherence issues are consistent across various diseases, treatment types, and age demographics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current knowledge on adherence to chronic disease regimens throughout the lifespan.
- To identify commonalities in adherence problems across different diseases, regimens, and age groups.
- To examine interventions aimed at improving patient adherence.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive review of existing literature on treatment adherence in chronic diseases.
- Inclusion of randomized, controlled studies on educational, behavioral, cognitive, and affective interventions.
- Analysis of adherence across pharmacological therapies, therapeutic diets, and exercise regimens.
Main Results:
- Adherence challenges are notably similar across diverse chronic conditions, treatment modalities, and patient age groups.
- Commonly prescribed regimens, including medications, diets, and exercise, are frequently subjects of nonadherence.
- Various interventions have been studied to enhance patient adherence to prescribed treatments.
Conclusions:
- Further research is essential to deepen the understanding of adherence and develop effective improvement strategies.
- Development of novel analytical and measurement techniques is crucial for advancing adherence research.
- Improving adherence is key to maximizing clinical benefits for patients with chronic diseases.