How to Increase Patient Adherence to Therapy
How do we increase patient adherence to therapy? As dermatologists, we will see thousands of patients over the course of our careers, most with treatable conditions that will improve with therapy and others with chronic or genetic conditions that will at least be made more tolerable with therapy. Approximately half of patients with chronic conditions are adherent to therapy. Why some patients adhere to treatment and others do not can be difficult to understand. The emotional makeup, culture, family background, socioeconomic status, and motivation of each person is unique, which leads to complexity. This column is not meant to answer a question that is both complex and broad; rather, it is meant to survey and summarize the literature on this enigmatic topic.
Dermatologists Take Action
As dermatologists, the WHO encourages us (physicians) to promote optimism, provide enthusiasm, and encourage maintenance of healthy behaviors.9 Comprehensive interventions that have had a positive impact on patient adherence to therapy for diseases such as diabetes mellitus, asthma, and hypertension may serve as motivating examples.9 Some specific dermatologic conditions that will benefit from increased patient adherence include acne, vesiculobullous disease, psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis. We can lend support to efforts to reduce the cost of dermatologic medications and be aware of the populations most at risk for low adherence to treatment.9-12
Final Thoughts
As we work to increase patient adherence to therapy in dermatology, we will help improve health literacy, patient safety, and patient satisfaction. These factors are ultimately linked to better health outcomes. The CDC and WHO websites are excellent sources of information on practical methods for doing so.2,9
