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Association between medication regimen complexity and pharmacotherapy adherence: a systematic review
Laís Lessa Pantuzza1, Maria das Graças Braga Ceccato1, Micheline Rosa Silveira1
1Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, 31270-901, Brazil.
European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
|August 6, 2017
Summary
Increased medication regimen complexity often leads to reduced medication adherence. This systematic review synthesizes evidence on the association between complex drug regimens and patient compliance.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Health Services Research
- Evidence Synthesis
Background:
- Medication adherence is crucial for treatment efficacy.
- Regimen complexity is a potential barrier to adherence.
- Understanding this association informs patient care strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review evidence on the link between medication regimen complexity and patient adherence.
- To synthesize findings from diverse study designs and populations.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature search across multiple databases (MEDLINE, LILACS, Cochrane, CINAHL, PsycINFO).
- Inclusion of RCTs, cross-sectional, cohort, and case-control studies published until March 2016.
- Qualitative synthesis of data from 54 included studies, assessing complexity and adherence using various instruments.
Main Results:
- Thirty-five of 54 studies found an association between complexity and adherence.
- The majority (28 studies) indicated that more complex regimens decrease medication adherence.
- Low to moderate methodological quality was noted across the included studies.
Conclusions:
- Most evidence suggests that increased medication regimen complexity negatively impacts adherence.
- Variability exists, but the trend points towards reduced adherence with higher complexity.
- Further research with robust methodology is warranted.
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