Identification of Noncompliance as a Major Medical Problem

Much of the research concerning patient compliance deals with the identification of adherence as a medical problem. This area of research aims to convince the reader that something needs to be done about the current patient noncompliance situation. As expected, much of the data behind this type of study exists in the form of factual and numerical information. The following is a list of typical compliance statistics:9

-Approximately 125,000 people with treatable ailments die each year in the USA because they do not take their medication properly.

-Fourteen to 21% of patients never fill their original prescriptions.

-Sixty percent of all patients cannot identify their own medications.

-Thirty to 50% of all patients ignore or otherwise compromise instructions concerning their medication.

-Approximately one fourth of all nursing home admissions are related to improper self-administration of medicine.

-Twelve to 20% of patients take other people's medicines.

-Hospital costs due to patient noncompliance are estimated at $8.5 billion annually.

Noncompliance is typically cited as occurring in from 50% to 75% of patients. In other words, in the United States, 50% to 70% of patients do not properly take prescribed medication. The rate of noncompliance is even higher in patients with chronic illnesses.10 This is because the drug regimens for these patients are often long-term, complex regimens that alter existing behavioral patterns. In addition, children are less likely than adults to follow a treatment plan because of their dependence on an adult caregiver.11 Clearly, the research has proven that noncompliance is a serious medical issue. It is a major medical problem that may lead to death and elevated costs, both for patients and providers.