Understanding a rational non-adherence to medications. A discrete choice experiment in a community sample in Australia

Location

International

This study aims to explore medication-taking decisions that may underpin intentional medication non-adherence behaviour amongst a community sample and the relative importance of medication specific factors and patient background characteristics contributing to those decisions.

A discrete choice experiment conducted through a web-enabled online survey was used to estimate the relative importance of eight medication factors (immediate and long-term medication harms and benefits, cost, regimen, symptom severity, alcohol restrictions) on the preference to continue taking a medication. 

Six of the eight factors (i.e. immediate and long-term medication harms and benefits, cost, and regimen) had a significant influence on medication choice. Patient background characteristics did not improve the model. Respondents with private health insurance appeared less sensitive to cost then those without private health insurance. In general, health outcomes, framed as a side-effect, were found to have a greater influence over adherence than outcomes framed as therapeutic benefits.

This is an open access article and is available to read in full text at: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2296/13/61/abstract

Laba, T-L., et al. (2012). Understanding a rational non-adherence to medications. A discrete choice experiment in a community sample in Australia. BMC Family Practice, 13:61 doi:10.1186/1471-2296-13-61