Factors Affecting Medication Adherence Cheat Sheet (DRAFT) by [deleted]

 Limited English language profic­iency
 Low health literacy
 Lack of family or social support network
 Unstable living condit­ions; homele­ssness
 Burdensome schedule
 Limited access to health care facilities
 Lack of health care insurance Inability or difficulty accessing pharmacy Medication cost
 Cultural and lay beliefs about illness and treatment
 Elder abuse

 Provid­er-­patient relati­onship
 Provider commun­ication skills (contr­ibuting to lack of patient knowledge or unders­tanding of the treatment regimen)
 Disparity between the health beliefs of the health care provider and those of the patient
 Lack of positive reinfo­rcement from the health care provider
 Weak capacity of the system to educate patients and provide follow-up
 Lack of knowledge on adherence and of effective interv­entions for improving it Patient inform­ation materials written at too high literacy level
 Restricted formul­aries; changing medica­tions covered on formul­aries
 High drug costs, copaym­ents, or both
 Poor access or missed appoin­tments
 Long wait times
 Lack of continuity of care

 Chronic conditions
 Lack of symptoms
 Severity of symptoms
 Depression
 Psychotic disorders
 Mental retard­ati­on/­dev­elo­pmental disability

 Complexity of medication regimen (number of daily doses; number of concurrent medica­tions)
 Treatment requires mastery of certain techniques (injec­tions, inhalers)
 Duration of therapy
 Frequent changes in medication regimen
 Lack of immediate benefit of therapy
 Medica­tions with social stigma attached to use
 Actual or perceived unpleasant side effects
 Treatment interferes with lifestyle or requires signif­icant behavioral changes

Physical Factors
 Visual impairment
 Hearing impairment
 Cognitive impairment
 Impaired mobility or dexterity
 Swallowing problems

Psycho­log­ica­l/B­eha­vioral Factors
 Knowledge about disease
 Perceived risk/s­usc­ept­ibility to disease
 Unders­tanding reason medication is needed
 Expect­ations or attitudes toward treatment
 Perceived benefit of treatment
 Confidence in ability to follow treatment regimen
 Motivation
 Fear of possible adverse effects
 Fear of dependence
 Feeling stigma­tized by the disease
 Frustr­ation with health care providers
 Psycho­social stress, anxiety, anger
 Alcohol or substance abuse