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Medication Regimen Complexity and Patient-Reported Adherence: A Cross-Sectional Study in Internal Medicine
Elif Ertuna1, Irem Guray2, Veli Inci3
1Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ege University, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey.
Patient Preference and Adherence
|March 4, 2026
Summary
Medication regimen complexity impacts adherence, especially in older adults and recently hospitalized patients. Targeted counseling and reviews are vital for improving patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Internal Medicine
- Geriatrics
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Medication non-adherence and complex regimens hinder therapeutic goal achievement.
- Understanding factors influencing adherence is crucial for effective patient care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of medication regimen complexity on adherence in internal medicine outpatients.
- To identify clinical characteristics associated with medication adherence.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cross-sectional study in internal medicine and geriatric outpatient clinics.
- Medication adherence assessed using the Medication Adherence Report Scale (MARS-5).
- Regimen complexity quantified using the Medication Regimen Complexity Index (MRCI) in 150 patients.
Main Results:
- Only 44% of participants showed perfect adherence.
- Higher MRCI scores observed in geriatric and recently hospitalized patients.
- No significant correlation between total MRCI score and self-reported adherence, but older and recently hospitalized patients had lower adherence.
Conclusions:
- Total regimen complexity did not directly correlate with self-reported adherence.
- Complexity significantly challenges high-risk groups like geriatric and recently hospitalized patients.
- Targeted medication counseling and regimen review, especially post-discharge, are crucial for optimizing adherence and outcomes.
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