The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7252 p781
7 June 2003

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Medicines Partnership: "A question of choice" (more)

Patients choose not to take medicines rather than just forget, review shows

Non-compliance with prescribed medicines is often an intentional decision by patients rather than just a result of forgetfulness, according to a new review.

Patients are more likely to be non-compliant if they are prescribed a complex regimen involving multiple doses and several medicines, if they suffer unwanted side effects or have concerns about the value or appropriateness of taking medicines. Young people, who may be in denial of their illnesses, may also have particular problems with compliance.

The new review, entitled "A question of choice", has been published by the Task Force on Medicines Partnership. It brings together a literature review conducted by Sarah Carter and David Taylor of the School of Pharmacy, University of London, and patient interviews. The review covers 11 disease areas and examines two specific groups: older people and ethnic minorities.

Overall, the review finds that studying compliance is difficult. Outside controlled environments such as clinical trials, patients may find it difficult to be honest with health care professionals about how they really take medicines. Patients are least likely to take their medicines as intended if they have to be taken long-term in order to prevent complications from what otherwise might be a symptomless problem, such as raised blood pressure or cholesterol levels.

For each of the 11 disease areas examined, patient interviews were undertaken following recommendations by patient groups. Sample comments from these patients are included with each chapter of the review. Patients reported concerns about the amount of information they were given about their conditions and the medicines used to treat it. They were also concerned about differences in professional opinions about their treatments.

Copies of the review are available from the Medicines Partnership on 020 7572 2474 or here.