Increasing Patient Compliance With Prescriptions

In this review, we address the problem of patient noncompliance with taking prescribed medication. Eight methods of improving patient compliance are outlined as follows: (1) improving the physician-patient interaction, (2) fear-arousing health messages, (3) education, (4) written instructions, (5) special drug packaging, (6) tailoring, (7) self-monitoring, and (8) contingency management. Several problems associated with the use of compliance-enhancing strategies are mentioned. Finally, the Health Belief Model is suggested as a framework capable of integrating some of the research findings in this area.