Determinants of different types of medication non-adherence in cholesterol lowering and asthma maintenance medications: a theoretical approach

Abstract

Objective: To quantify and compare the determinants of different types of medication non-adherence in cholesterol lowering and asthma maintenance medications using a theoretical approach.

Methods: Study design was online cross sectional survey. A conceptual framework was developed using Andersen's Behavioral Model and Leventhal's Common Sense Model to understand the determinants of medication non-adherence. Regression analyses were used to test the models for predicting non-adherence.

Results: The models based on Andersen's Behavioral Model and Leventhal's Common Sense Model were significant. While predisposing factors such as treatment convenience and beliefs in medications were significant in cholesterol lowering medications, need factors such as illness perceptions and disease severity were significant in asthma maintenance medications. Among the enabling factors, self efficacy was a significant predictor in both cholesterol lowering and asthma maintenance medications.

Conclusion: Different determinants explained different types of non-adherence and suggest the need to consider different types of non-adherence for different medications as well as different determinants for each type of non-adherence.

Practice implications: Identifying determinants of different types of non-adherence can help health care professionals develop targeted interventions which can be more successful than the current model of single and generalized interventions to reduce non-adherence.