If adherence involves taking medication as prescribed, and non-adherence involves failing to take any prescribed medicines, all other patterns can be considered partial adherence or partial non-adherence.
According to current guidelines, stable COPD is managed with a combination of different treatment components (e.g. smoking cessation, physiotherapeutic reactivation, self-management, optimization of medication adherence) [ 1], involving different healthcare providers.
These models have focused on either the adult population or interventions involving medication adherence alone [ 27- 29].
Many researchers and others involved in medication adherence issues are excited about the potential of technology to educate patients and provide a "tickler" system to remind them to take their drugs.
Given the high prevalence of medication non-adherence in dialysis patients and the potential for improved outcomes [ 10], improving our knowledge about factors involved in medication adherence in these patients is of vital importance.
This paper reviews both subjective and objective medication adherence measures, including direct measures, those involving secondary database analysis, electronic medication packaging (EMP) devices, pill count, and clinician assessments and self-report.
Another key strength is that by interviewing patients, GPs and pharmacists the research explores medication adherence from the different perspectives of those involved in all aspects of medication from prescribing and monitoring, dispensing and advising, to self-management in adherence.
The patient intervention incorporates patients' need assessments and involves tailored behavioral and education modules to promote medication adherence and improve specific health behaviors.
The primary analyses involved how providers assessed each patient's medication adherence in comparison to each patient's adherence according to refill records.
This study involved evaluating how implementing Short Message Service (SMS) reminders affected patient medication adherence and related factors.
