How to increase medication adherence: What works?

Abstract

Many studies have aimed to identify risk factors contributing to medication nonadherence with the goal of developing interventions to improve adherence rates. Several different intervention strategies have been studied. Psychoeducation, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and motivational interviewing have all positively influenced medication adherence and combinations of these approaches may bring about better results than one approach alone. In addition, pharmacists' intervention through answering patients' questions, performing follow up phone calls, offering additional education, and changing of medications or doses, may help the patient and ultimately lead to an increase in medication adherence and disease state improvement.