Surveys of health care providers indicate that one of the most distressing features of their clinical practice is patient non-adherence.
Non-adherence is often viewed as the patient's way of thwarting the best intentions of the health care provider and inhibiting treatment efficacy.
Non-adherence may be demonstrated by a patients:
Failure to keep appointments.
Prematurely stopping of treatment.
Insistence on discharge against medical advice.
Drug defaulting.
Failure to eschew to prescribed behavior or life style changes.
Refusal to follow medical advice or instructions.
Failure to follow home-based therapeutic regimens
Studies indicate the average range of non-adherence to appointments is 20-50%.
Non-adherence to treatment regimens for disease ranges from 30-60%.
Reported incidence of non-adherence with prophylactic treatment is usually 70-75%.
Lowest adherence rates occur with patients:
Who have chronic disorders.
When no immediate discomfort or risk is evident.
When lifestyle changes are required.
When prevention instead of symptom palliation or cure is the desired outcome.
Studies indicate the average range of non-adherence for treatment of disease is 30-60%
Reported incidence of non-adherence with prophylactic medication is 70-75%.
