Compliance

Compliance refers to the degree to which a patient correctly follows medical advice. Most commonly, it refers to medication or drug compliance, but it can also apply to other situations such as medical device use, self-care, self-directed exercises, or therapy sessions.

Definition

The World Health Organization (WHO) defined health care compliance as the extent to which a person's behavior – taking medication, following a diet, and/or executing lifestyle changes, corresponds with agreed recommendations from a health care provider. Health care providers often use the term 'adherence' or 'adherent' instead of 'compliance' to a prescribed treatment regimen.

Factors affecting compliance

Several factors can affect patient compliance, including the patient's understanding of the treatment, the complexity of the treatment, the patient's health literacy, the patient's belief in the treatment's effectiveness, and the patient's financial ability to afford the treatment.

Consequences of non-compliance

Non-compliance can have serious health consequences. For example, non-compliance with medication can lead to treatment failure, increased morbidity and mortality, and increased health care costs.

Improving compliance

Health care providers can improve compliance by improving communication with patients, simplifying treatment regimens, providing clear instructions, and addressing patient concerns.

See also

• Patient nonadherence
• Health literacy
• Health care provider
• Medication

References

Compliance Resources
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