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Assessment and measurement of adherence to oral antineoplastic agents
Sandra L Spoelstra1, Charles W Given
1Michigan State University, College of Nursing, East Lansing, MI 48864, USA.
Objectives:
The increase in oral anticancer medications with complex regimens creates a need to assure that patients are taking therapeutic dosages as prescribed. This article reviews the assessment and measurement of adherence to oral antineoplastic agents.
Data Sources:
Research and journal articles from CINAHL and PubMed.
Conclusion:
Assessing and measuring adherence to oral antineoplastics should include three dimensions: the percentage of medications taken, the duration, and the timing of taking the medication.
Implications For Nursing Practice:
Clinicians need to conduct ongoing assessment and measurement of adherence to oral antineoplastic agents. This includes eliciting patient report of adherence, pill counts, drug diaries, and pharmacy or medical record audits.
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