Adherence to treatment

Question 1

Define compliance

Answer 1

The action or fact of applying with a wish or command

Question 2

Define adherence

Answer 2

Attachment or commitment to a person, cause, or belief

i.e. The extent to which a person’s behaviour corresponds with agreed recommendations from a health care provider

Question 3

Define non-compliance

Answer 3

When a person’s behaviour doesn’t correspond with recommendations given by a health-care provider
Non-compliance has a prevalence of 50%

Question 4

What are the consequences of non-adherence

Answer 4

Increased hospital admissions
Transplant Rejection
Complications
Drug Resistance
Increased mortality

Question 5

What are the factors influencing non-adherence

Answer 5

Capability :
- Individual’s physical and psychological capacity to engage in the behaviour
Motivation :
- Reflective: Evaluations and plans for change
- Autonomic: Emotions and impulses arising from associative learning and/or innate dispositions
Opportunity:
- All factors lying outside the individual that make performance of behaviour possible/prompt it

Question 6

What are way in which adherence can be improved

Answer 6

Ask the patient
Improve interaction including communication/presentation style (and give written information)
Identify and model beliefs
Involve wider support network and potential to use assistive technology