A Review of the Patterns, Predictors, and Interventions to Improve Adherence

Purpose:   This is the first of a three part series on Medication Adherence in which the authors describe the continuum of adherence to non-adherence of medication usage.

Methods:  Research articles through Medline and PubMed.

Results: Understanding the magnitude and scope of the problem of medication non-adherence is the first step in reaching better adherence rates.  The second step is to evaluate the risk factors for each patient for medication adherence/non-adherence.  Steps are then taken to prevent non-adherence.

Conclusion: The implications for nurse practitioners include using time with patients to assist them in adherence, building a trusting relationship with patients, and developing protocols for assessing and preventing non-adherence.