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The effect of interactive reminders on medication adherence: A randomized trial
Hengchen Dai1, David Mao2, Kevin G Volpp3
1Anderson School of Management, University of California, Los Angeles 110 Westwood Plaza, Suite A-405 Los Angeles, CA 90095-1481, United States.
Preventive Medicine
|July 29, 2017
Summary
Behavioral science reminders improved medication adherence by nearly 1% during and after mailing. These interventions, including prediction and commitment strategies, offer a cost-effective way to boost adherence.
Area of Science:
- Health behavior research
- Behavioral economics
- Health services research
Background:
- Health interventions are more effective when informed by behavioral science principles.
- Medication non-adherence is a significant public health challenge.
- Behavioral nudges may improve patient adherence to prescribed treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of behavioral science-based reminders in improving medication adherence.
- To compare the impact of basic, prediction, and commitment-based reminders on adherence rates.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 46,581 participants with commercial or Medicare Advantage insurance.
- Four groups: usual care, basic reminders, prediction reminders, and commitment reminders.
- Monthly mailings for three months, tracking prescription refills over 181 days.
Main Results:
- Reminders increased medication adherence by 0.95% during the mailing period (p<0.05), driven by prediction and commitment conditions.
- Reminders increased adherence by 0.98% in the post-mailing period (p<0.05), driven by basic and commitment conditions.
- Reminders yielded 0.7 additional pills per dollar spent over the study period.
Conclusions:
- Behavioral science-informed reminders effectively improve medication adherence.
- Commitment and prediction-based reminders show particular promise for enhancing adherence.
- These reminder strategies represent a cost-effective approach to improving medication adherence.
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