Adherence to pharmacotherapeutic regimen. Assessment and intervention.
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Participants in the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial (MRFIT) were taught not only how to modify the fat content of their diets but also how to assess their success in doing so. To simplify the process, a food scoring system was developed in which positive points are assigned to high-saturated-fat and high-cholesterol foods and negative points to foods and high-polyunsaturated-fat and low-cholesterol content. Using special forms supplied by MRFIT nutrition counselors, participants were able to self-monitor their dietary regimens. The method is described and forms are illustrated.
The reliability of the food record rating (FRR) sytem devised for assessing nutritional compliance by participants of MRFIT was statistically validated. Two nutritionists in each of four clinical MRFIT centers each rated thirty records drawn from a pool of 120 records from twenty centers. The eight raters working independently in four cities were able to duplicate FRR scores 86 per cent of the time. The FRR provides a systematic, rapid measure of progress in food-habit change which would be applicable to other preventive nutrition programs
Advances in scientific understanding of and pharmacologic therapies for HIV infection have significantly increased the potential benefits of medical regimens. Patients adherence to these regimens is an essential antecedent to therapeutic effectiveness. Nursing interventions to improve adherence target the patient, the clinician, and the regimen.
Oltipraz (4-methyl-5-(2-pyrazinyl)-1,2-dithiole-3-thione) is an antischistosomal drug presently under evaluation as a possible chemoprotective agent in humans. To date, oltipraz has proved effective as an inhibitor of carcinogenesis in experimental models for breast, bladder, liver, forestomach, colon, tracheal, lung, and skin cancer. Studies on the mechanisms of action of oltipraz indicate that it affects the metabolism and disposition of chemical carcinogens, principally through the induction of electrophile detoxication enzymes. While this feature is common to many different classes of both natural and synthetic experimental chemoprotectors (i.e., phenolic antioxidants, isothiocyanates, flavonoids, indoles, cinnamates, coumarins, terpenes, and others), oltipraz may offer the earliest and easiest prospect for examining the role of enzyme induction as a protective strategy in humans. Unlike the situation with many of the anutrients, substantial preclinical research has already been conducted with oltipraz to establish its safety and efficacy in animals. Hopefully, Phase I investigations will demonstrate a high tolerance for oltipraz in the chemoprotective dose range of the drug. A major concern for the success of any trial is selecting participants who are likely to adhere to the intervention as well as to all aspects of the protocol. Factors influencing participation and adherence in a trial include the design of the trial, the nature of the disease under study as well as the nature of the intervention, in particular the toxicities of the intervention (J. A. Tangrea, M. E. Adrianza, and W. E. Helsel, Cancer Epi Biomarkers Prev 1992; 1:325-330). Chemoprotection trials with oltipraz have an excellent prospect for success. Individuals with known carcinogenic exposures are likely to be interested in participation in trials designed to reduce the risks of the exposures. Moreover, the availability of intermediate markers reflecting the modulation of the biologically effective dose of environmental carcinogens as study end points will enable efficient trials to be designed.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate a novel psycho-educational intervention intended to increase patients' medication preparedness and treatment adherence skills before initiating highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Sixty-three HIV-positive patients not currently on antiretroviral therapy participated in a randomized controlled trial of a standardized, four-session psycho-educational intervention (Supportive Therapy for Adherence to Antiretroviral Treatment; STAART). Session topics included learning techniques to increase medication adherence and learning effective strategies to cope with stress and depression. Patients completed psychological questionnaires assessing psychological readiness to initiate HAART and depressed mood. They completed both measures at study baseline and at four-weeks post-baseline. After controlling for baseline medication readiness scores, intervention patients (n = 30) reported significantly higher mean medication readiness following the STAART intervention (four-weeks post-baseline) (27.3+/-6.9) compared to controls (n = 33; 24.6+/-9.9; p < 0.05). Among depressed patients (n = 27), those receiving the intervention (n = 15) reported significantly lower mean depression scores at four-weeks post-baseline (22.5+/-12.9) compared to controls (n = 12; 27+/-9.9; p < 0.05). The STAART intervention enhanced HIV treatment readiness by better preparing patients prior to initiating HAART. It was also beneficial for reducing depressive symptoms in depressed, HIV-positive patients.
BACKGROUND: There are significant barriers to accessing effective psychological therapy in primary care resulting from a lack of suitably trained therapists to meet current demand. More efficient service delivery using minimal interventions (such as bibliotherapy) provided by paraprofessional therapists may be one method of overcoming these problems, and is the subject of attention in the UK and elsewhere. A randomized trial was conducted to test the clinical effectiveness of this model. Assistant psychologists delivered a guided self-help intervention to patients with anxiety and depression who were currently waiting for psychological therapy. METHOD: A total of 114 patients were randomized either to guided self-help or a waiting-list control group. All patients were followed up 3 months later, prior to starting conventional psychological therapy. Measures included self-reported adherence to the intervention, anxiety and depressive symptoms, social functioning and patient satisfaction. RESULTS: Adherence to the guided self-help intervention was acceptable and patients reported satisfaction with the intervention. However, there were no statistically significant differences between groups in anxiety and depression symptoms at 3 months. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate that this model of guided self-help did not provide additional benefit to patients on a waiting list for psychological therapy. The results are considered in the context of possible internal and external validity threats, and compared with previous trials of minimal interventions. The implications of the results for the design of future minimal interventions are considered.
Non-adherence to antiretroviral (ARV) regimens has been associated with HIV drug resistance. Anecdotal evidence in our client group, people living with HIV/AIDS infection in Central Sydney Area Health Service (CSAHS), suggested that non-adherence was an issue. Eighty three participants completed an anonymous questionnaire; with a 98% response rate. The mean age of respondents was 44 years with 68% over age 40 years. 68% of respondents missed doses of ARV, 54% because they forgot. 54% stated they did not report the non-adherence to their doctor. They were more likely to miss the lunch time dosage (n=49, p<0.05). The results demonstrate that non-adherence with medications is a significant issue and further research into strategies for interventions to aid adherence is required.
OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the effectiveness of telephone counseling in a church-based mammography promotion intervention trial. METHODS: Thirty churches were randomized to telephone counseling and control conditions; telephone interview data were used in assessing intervention effects on mammography adherence. Separate analyses were conducted for baseline-adherent participants (maintaining adherence) and baseline-nonadherent participants (conversion to adherence). RESULTS: Year 1 follow-up data indicated that the telephone counseling intervention maintained mammography adherence among baseline-adherent participants and reduced the nonadherence rate from 23% to 16%. CONCLUSIONS: Partnerships between the public health and faith communities are potentially effective conduits to promote maintenance of widely endorsed health behaviors such as regular cancer screening.
OBJECTIVE: This study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of compliance therapy in increasing adherence to pharmacological treatment for alcohol dependence. METHOD: Forty subjects were randomly allocated to receive usual medical care (n = 20) or usual medical care plus compliance therapy (n = 20). All subjects were prescribed acamprosate (Campral) for 4 months. Subjects were volunteers treated at a hospital-based outpatient drug and alcohol treatment service, and were men and women who were 18-65 years old and with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, diagnosis of alcohol dependence. All subjects received usual medical care consisting of seven medical reviews (duration = 15 minutes) over 4 months. Compliance therapy consisted of four to six individual sessions (duration = 60 minutes) in which beliefs about medication side effects, ambivalence, the benefits of treatment, treatment maintenance and relapse prevention were addressed and explored with motivational interviewing and cognitive behavior therapy techniques. RESULTS: The outcome variables were number of days taking acamprosate, days to first drink, days to first relapse (more than five drinks) and days to first extended relapse (greater than 2 consecutive days of more than five drinks). Intention-to-treat analyses showed little difference between the two groups in the outcome drinking measures. Nevertheless, the per-protocol analyses revealed that participation in three or more sessions of compliance therapy significantly increased adherence to acamprosate and improved overall treatment outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The present study highlights the need for psychological interventions to improve adherence to pharmacotherapy in the treatment of alcohol dependence and provides initial support for compliance therapy as an effective intervention.
Adherence to pharmacotherapy is essential to optimal therapeutic outcomes. The pivotal role of the pharmacist in optimizing adherence encompasses many actions: assessing the adherence problem, identifying predisposing factors, providing comprehensive counseling, and recommending specific adherence strategies targeted to the patient's needs. Patients who have chronic conditions, physical or cognitive impairments, or cultural backgrounds outside the mainstream may have special needs that should be addressed in the adherence plan. Pharmaceutical care plans also should take into account the patient's age, stage of life, and literacy level. Although a wide range of adherence aids and strategies are available, the key to success is to tailor the intervention to the individual patient and, when necessary, to combine interventions to optimize adherence.
BACKGROUND: Low adherence of patients to prescribed, self-administered medical interventions is ubiquitous. Low adherence limits the benefits of current medical care. Efforts to assist patients to follow treatments might improve the efficiency of care and substantially enhance benefits. Our objective was to summarise the results of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of interventions to help patients follow prescriptions for medications. METHODS: A previous systematic review was updated through computerised searches in Medline, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, Psychinfo, and HSTAR online databases; bibliographies in articles on patient adherence; articles in the reviewers' personal collections; and contact with authors. Articles were judged of interest if they reported original data concerning an unconfounded RCT of an intervention to improve adherence with prescribed medications, with one or more measure of medication adherence, one or more measure of treatment outcome, at least 80% follow-up of each group studied, and, for long-term treatments, at least 6 months of follow-up for studies with positive initial findings. Information on study design features, interventions and controls, and findings were extracted by one reviewer (RK) and checked by the other two reviewers. FINDINGS: 1,553 relevant citations and abstracts were screened, 252 full text articles were reviewed in detail, and 13 RCTs met all criteria. The studies were too disparate in clinical problems, adherence interventions, measures and reporting of adherence, and the clinical outcomes studied to warrant meta-analysis. Seven of 15 interventions were associated with improvements in adherence and six interventions led to improvements in treatment outcomes. For short-term treatments, one study showed an effect on adherence and outcome of counselling and written information. The interventions that were effective for long-term care were complex, including various combinations of more convenient care, information, counselling, reminders, self-monitoring, reinforcement, family therapy, and other forms of additional supervision or attention. Even the most effective interventions did not lead to substantial improvements in adherence. INTERPRETATION: Although adherence and treatment outcomes can be improved by certain-usually complex-interventions, full benefits of medications cannot be realised at currently achievable levels of adherence. It is time that additional efforts be directed towards developing and testing innovative approaches to assist patients to follow treatment prescriptions.
Youth with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus face complex treatment regimens and often have difficulty adhering to treatment requirements. Many behavioral-health intervention strategies, such as psychoeducational groups, diabetes summer camps, individual therapy, and residential treatment have been utilized to address this issue. While some have been effective, many barriers exist that limit the number of youth who are able to utilize these treatments. Additionally, the effectiveness of these treatments does not typically generalize to the home environment. Telephone-based, intensive, behavioral-health interventions may address barriers to treatment access by providing lower cost treatment that is easier to access for youth who do not live near a knowledgeable behavioral-health specialist. Additionally, delivery via telephone enables the interventions to take place in the home. This, in combination with parental involvement in the treatment, may increase generalization of the positive treatment outcomes to the home environment. The purpose of this paper is to describe a controlled trial of a telehealth intervention for youth whose diabetes is poorly managed. Preliminary outcome data for the trial are promising. Representative cases from the trial are presented in case-study format.
Diet has an important impact not only on health but also on daily functioning, cognitive performance, and, perhaps, psychological well-being. Much is known about the specific dietary changes necessary to improve these factors, yet it becomes ever more clear that information about proper diet is rarely sufficient to change dietary behavior. Interventions aimed at changing diet must consider the typical dietary practices of the population in question and, as a corollary, must deal with the cultural obstacles to eating the "proper" foods. Psychological factors are paramount in setting the stage for dietary change. These include the individual's perception of being at risk, perceived benefits of a change in diet, confidence that the necessary change can be made, and the symbolic and real role food plays in a person's life. Nutrition education has traditionally focused on what changes should be made, and behavioral psychology has emphasized how to make the changes. These two fields must come together, and there must be recognition that nutrition education can provide necessary information, and behavioral change strategies can provide the necessary skills. There is now a considerable amount of information on strategies for nutrition education and on principles and techniques for behavioral change. Many intervention programs to alter dietary behavior have been undertaken. These have varied from programs aimed at an entire country, such as the National Cholesterol Education Program in the United States, to programs aimed at individuals. Although these vary considerably in size, strategy, and effects, collectively they yield valuable information on effective methods for changing behavior and for maintaining behavioral change. Programs that integrate behavioral procedures such as self-monitoring, stimulus control, coping skills, and relapse prevention appear to hold the most promise. Policy is an area that has received little attention as a means of changing dietary behavior. Government officials have made major efforts to enhance food safety, improve nutrition labeling on foods, and educate the public about a balanced diet. Much more may be possible, however. Financial incentives might be offered to increase production of healthy foods, thereby lowering cost and increasing availability. Legislation could govern food advertising and food availability (eg, vending machines) to which the entire population or selected groups (eg, children) are exposed. Existing studies on dietary adherence span different interventions, populations, disease targets, methods of evaluation, and other factors, so it is not surprising that results across studies are mixed. Enough of the studies have shown positive findings, however, to lead to the conclusion that meaningful dietary modification is possible, at least in some individuals making some dietary changes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
OBJECTIVE: To describe and evaluate a lay worker project designed to enhance the effective control of tuberculosis in a rural/farm setting. DESIGN: A descriptive cohort study using both qualitative and quantitative research methodology. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Farming community in the Klein Drakenstein area of Paarl, Western Cape, with health services provided by the Cape Metropolitan Council. The adherence of patients receiving tuberculosis treatment from 1 January 1993 to 31 December 1995 was analysed. The acceptability of the project was assessed using indepth interviews with key stakeholders. RESULTS: A cohort of 402 tuberculosis patients was included in the study. This cohort was divided into the patients from farms that had participated in the project (intervention group) and those that had not (non-intervention group). The adherence data for children and adults were analysed separately. The adherence rates for children in both groups were the same (RR = 1.00, 95% Cl 0.88-1.14), whereas the adherence rate for the adult intervention group was significantly better than that of the non-intervention group (RR = 1.19, 95% Cl 1.08-1.31). The qualitative component of the investigation indicated a high level of commitment to the intervention from the members of the implementation team, the farm health workers and their employers. The farm health workers described how their role had assisted their communities and had improved their own perceptions of self-efficacy. The close bond that they had developed with the formal health sector had improved the access of the labourers on the farm to primary health care. Although the project had commenced as a tuberculosis initiative, the farm health workers were dealing with a variety of health issues. Their ongoing training was designed to facilitate this development. The formal health sector found their activities facilitated by the easy access that they had with a representative from each farm. The employers were satisfied that the project had increased the cost-effectiveness of their economic endeavours. CONCLUSION: This farm worker project appears to be a model of a well-designed and expertly managed community-based project for tuberculosis control in rural/farm areas.
AIMS: This paper presents a comprehensive systematic review of literature carried out to identify studies of interventions to improve uptake, adherence and professional compliance in cardiac rehabilitation. BACKGROUND: Guidelines recommend that cardiac rehabilitation should be offered to patients following acute myocardial infarction and revascularization. Uptake and adherence are low, particularly in women, older people, and socially deprived and ethnic minority patients. Although patient, service and professional barriers to rehabilitation uptake have been described, no attempt has been made to evaluate systematically interventions aimed at improving uptake and adherence in cardiac rehabilitation. METHODS: A comprehensive search strategy identified studies of cardiac rehabilitation, using the terms uptake, adherence and compliance. The search included grey literature, hand searching of specialist journals and conference abstracts. No language restriction was applied. Studies were summarized in three qualitative overviews and assessed by quality of evidence. RESULTS: From 3261 publications identified, 957 were acquired on the basis of title or abstract. Few studies were of sufficient quality to make specific recommendations. Six, 12 and five studies, respectively, provided adequate information on methods to improve uptake, adherence or professional compliance. A minority of studies were randomized controlled trials. Studies of motivational and self-management strategies and use of lay volunteers showed some promise in improving rehabilitation uptake or lifestyle change. Nurse-led coordination of care after hospital discharge may have a role in improving rehabilitation uptake. Limited information was provided on resource implications, and there was a lack of studies with under-represented groups. The literature contained numerous suggested interventions which merit evaluation in appropriately designed studies. CONCLUSIONS: Little research has been reported evaluating interventions to improve uptake, adherence and professional compliance in cardiac rehabilitation. A wide range of possible interventions was identified and further evaluations of methods are indicated.
AIMS: In order to measure the effectiveness of interventions claiming to improve adherence in diabetes, valid measurement of adherence is necessary. Any measurement must first be based on a definition. This study aimed to identify and categorize definitions and measurements of adherence in living with diabetes, from a review of the literature. METHODS: Publications were identified from the medline database. Adherence, compliance and concordance were used as terms in the search algorithm, along with diabetes, diabetes mellitus and treatment. Two hundred and ninety-three papers were identified. Abstracts of these papers were read by two researchers independently. Two hundred and thirty-nine papers did not contain definitions or measures of adherence and were discarded. Of the remaining 54 papers, 26 included definitions and 46 described measurements of adherence. RESULTS: Definitions and measurements fell into five categories: coincidence of behaviour with professional advice, relationship as part of the process of care, outcome and process targets, taking the medication as prescribed and others. No single definition of adherence emerged. Many authors did not provide definitions of adherence. Glycated haemoglobin was the most common measurement of adherence, although this can raise problems. CONCLUSIONS: Research which claims to show an intervention has, or has not, improved adherence must be interpreted cautiously. Interventions which appear to fail may actually succeed in aspects of adherence which were not defined or measured in the study. Clinicians and researchers could use clear definitions and measurements, such as the ones presented in this review.