It's something we've all done. We are put on medication so that it helps us to heal and recover, yet we do not take it as prescribed or at all. Sometimes we get so negligent and lazy that we don't get our prescriptions refilled.
Why is that? What are the things that could possibly stop you from visiting the pharmacy to get your prescriptions? Is it an important phone call at work or your child's homework, or maybe you start feeling better than before and decide to quit your daily medication, or maybe you are concerned about the side effects of your medication, or any of a thousand other reasons?
This habit of patients not consuming their medication on time is called Medication non-adherence. Unfortunately, it is very common, particularly among patients with chronic diseases. In this situation, it is critical for physicians and other health care providers to understand why patients are not consuming their medicines.
You could be a victim of medication non-adherence because of your workload, busy schedule, and too much stress, which means it merely slips out of your mind, but sometimes medication non-adherence is intentional.
Patients make conscious decisions not to consume their medications based on their knowledge, past experiences, or beliefs.
This blog will teach you five triggering reasons for intentional non-adherence.
> Confusing regime/too many medications when a patient is prescribed multiple medications, the regimen becomes more complicated, the dosing frequency increases, and the odds of non-adherence increase. If you wish tosimplify your dosing plan by organizing your medications, you should read about Redicine’s intelligent pill box.
>Fear Patients may be concerned about possible side effects. They may also have had earlier side effects from the same or a comparable medication. Also, patients report not taking their prescription because they observed side effects in a friend or family member who was taking the same or similar medication. Since they witnessed those side effects in others, they may have concluded that the medication was to blame.
>Lack of symptoms-adherence may occur when there are less or a lack of symptoms. Patients who may not notice any difference when they begin or stop taking their medication may see no reason to continue. Further, once a patient's condition is under control, they may believe the problem is cured and discontinue the meds. It is critical to advise the patient that they may need to take the medication for an extended period of time.
>worry/concern- adherence can occur when a patient worries about getting dependent on medication. Improving patient-physician communication is one method to solve this. Inadequate communication can increase medication non-adherence. Thus, it's critical to understand the patient's rationale for non-adherence.
>Suffering mental health patients-who are depressed are less likely to take their prescriptions as directed. If a patient has a mental illness that affects their mental state, this can interfere with their ability to take their medication on time and as prescribed. Along a patient's journey, mental health assistance is critical to ensuring that they feel well enough to actively contribute to their own therapy.
How can we tackle these causes?
Medication adherence has always been an issue, but we are privileged to have cutting-edge technological solutions to combat an increase in medical non-adherence and healthcare systems committed to enhancing their quality of care and treatment.
Better relationships should be facilitated between healthcare providers and patients so that they feel there is an open communication channel and that they can communicate their worries and any hesitations that may prevent them from taking their medication as prescribed. This also relates to assisting in settlement of misunderstandings, which can be supported further by clear information and instructions for patients regarding their always available medicines. Supporting mental health also plays a role here, as we may check in on patients who are having difficulty in order to assist them and ensure they remain adherent during difficult times.
Proceeding further, we at Redicine Medsol are here to assist and support your medicine organization. Redicine’s intelligent pill-box. is at your disposal to ensure that you never skip a medication again and risk your life! The Redicine pill box is not only visually appealing but also technologically advanced, with spacious sections to hold your monthly dosage. You have audio-visual reminders available with the ease of enormous capacity, and you just have to keep an eye out for the LEDs or hear the buzzers to be notified - and to always take their pills on time! To know more about the product, you can visit our website Redicine Medsol.
One needs to understand that they can only be provided with a means and a solution to the problem, but an open discussion with your doctor about adherence concerns can frequently lead to more effective remedies and more excellent safety, confidence, and well-being. By being aware of the triggering causes of medical non-adherence, we can all work together to solve this problem and ensure healthier lives for ourselves and our loved ones.