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Medication compliance and persistence: terminology and definitions
Joyce A Cramer1, Anuja Roy, Anita Burrell
1Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA. joyce.cramer@yale.edu
Summary
Medication compliance and medication persistence are distinct concepts. Compliance refers to following treatment recommendations, while persistence is continuing therapy for the prescribed duration, crucial for accurate research.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacoeconomics
- Health Outcomes Research
- Pharmacoepidemiology
Background:
- Medication use studies require precise terminology.
- Distinguishing between patient adherence and treatment duration is critical.
Purpose of the Study:
- To clarify the definitions and applications of "compliance" and "persistence" in medication use.
- To establish standardized terminology for medication adherence and treatment continuation.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature review was conducted.
- Expert debate on terminology and definitions informed the study.
Main Results:
- Medication compliance (adherence) signifies adherence to prescribed timing, dosage, and frequency.
- Medication persistence denotes continuing therapy for the full prescribed duration.
- These two constructs are separate and lack a single unifying term.
Conclusions:
- Specific definitions for compliance and persistence are essential for quantitative analysis of drug dosing.
- Consistent adoption of these definitions will standardize research frameworks and lexicons in health outcomes research.
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