Perceived appropriateness of medication adherence incentives

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Behavioral Science
• Patient Adherence

Background:

• Medication non-adherence significantly contributes to adverse health outcomes, including deaths and hospitalizations.
• Incentives show promise for improving medication adherence, but patient perceptions remain under-explored.
• Understanding patient views on incentives is crucial for designing effective adherence programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate patient perceptions of the appropriateness of incentives for medication adherence.
• To identify patient preferences for financial versus social recognition-based incentives.
• To examine how patient characteristics are associated with the perceived appropriateness of adherence incentives.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with US adults prescribed medication for chronic conditions.
• Data collected included preferences for financial/social incentives, perceived appropriateness (Likert scale), self-reported adherence, and demographics.
• Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, chi-square, t-tests, and logistic regression.

Main Results:

• Over 92% of participants preferred financial incentives (e.g., cash, gift cards) over social recognition.
• 73% perceived medication adherence incentives as appropriate, while 9% found them inappropriate.
• Hispanic ethnicity, income <$75,000, no college degree, and higher adherence were associated with lower perceived appropriateness.

Conclusions:

• A majority of patients view adherence incentives as appropriate and favor financial rewards.
• Certain demographic and adherence factors influence the perceived appropriateness of incentives.
• Healthcare providers should consider these patient characteristics when developing tailored incentive programs.