Eastern Kentucky University

Treatment Adherence and Psychological Issues

Institution

Eastern Kentucky University

Abstract

Medical nonadherence is an extensive problem within the field of medicine in the United States today. The consequences of nonadherence can be grave, and the issue affects many people; thus, it is an important topic to address. There are many reasons to explain why patients often do not comply with their health care practitioner's advice, and many of these reasons are psychological in nature. This paper is a literature review that analyzes and critiques several studies and reviews written by medical and psychological researchers about this subject. The main topics of this paper include defining compliance/adherence, discussing its prevalence and incidence, methodological difficulties in assessing adherence, patient and relationship factors related to nonadherence, and models, theories and approaches that explain nonadherence. A general summary, analysis, critique and suggestions for future research conclude the review.

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Treatment Adherence and Psychological Issues

Medical nonadherence is an extensive problem within the field of medicine in the United States today. The consequences of nonadherence can be grave, and the issue affects many people; thus, it is an important topic to address. There are many reasons to explain why patients often do not comply with their health care practitioner's advice, and many of these reasons are psychological in nature. This paper is a literature review that analyzes and critiques several studies and reviews written by medical and psychological researchers about this subject. The main topics of this paper include defining compliance/adherence, discussing its prevalence and incidence, methodological difficulties in assessing adherence, patient and relationship factors related to nonadherence, and models, theories and approaches that explain nonadherence. A general summary, analysis, critique and suggestions for future research conclude the review.