Adherence to Medical Advice

Question 1

Adherence

Answer 1

the extent to which a patient’s behaviour and following of treatment programmes coincides with the advice and guidance provided by doctors and other health care professionals

Question 2

Types of requests given to patients can fall into the following categories:

Answer 2

-Requests for short-term compliance
-Requests for positive additions to lifestyle
-Requests to stop certain behaviours
-Requests for long-term treatment

Question 3

Explanations for non-adherence can fall into two categories

Answer 3

-explanation within the patients
-explanation by looking at the doctor’s behaviour

Question 4

Consequences of non-adherence

Answer 4

substantial numbers of patients do not benefit from correct diagnosis and treatment, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality as well as an increase in both direct and indirect costs

Question 5

Morbidity

Answer 5

incidence of disease across a population

Question 6

Mortality

Answer 6

rate of death in a population

Question 7

How patients can choose not to adhere to medical requests before treatment

Answer 7

Poor description of the treatment programme leading to a lack of awareness

Question 8

How patients can choose not to adhere to medical requests during treatment

Answer 8

*Takes more or less of a drug than has been prescribed
*Take the drug at a different time from than instructed
*May not complete prescription
*Only attend some clinics and follow-up appointments
*Not completing exercises (physical therapies)

Question 9

How patients can choose not to adhere to medical requests after treatment

Answer 9

*May end their course of treatment early or fail to attend sessions
*May revert straight back to behaviours that were changed through the treatment

Question 10

How patients influence themselves into non-adhering to medical advice

Answer 10

*The patient decides that they don’t need treatment
*The patient does not understand the treatment
*The patient decides the cost of treatment is more than the benefits
*Social support and demographic factors

Question 11

How the treatment programme influences patients into non-adhering to medical advice

Answer 11

*The treatment programme is time-consuming and expensive
*Access to the treatment programme is not easy

Question 12

How the health care provider influences patients into non-adhering to medical advice

Answer 12

*Doctor does not stress the importance of treatment
*The doctor does not give adequate details on how to administer the drug