Journal
HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY
Volume 29, Issue 1, Pages 50-55Publisher
AMER PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOC
DOI: 10.1037/a0016940
Keywords
medication adherence; cognitive function
Categories
Funding
- Center for Research in Chronic Disorders, School of Nursing, University of Pittsburgh
- National Institutes of Health [NINR 2 P30 NR003924-15, NHLBI 5U01HLO 48992-02, NIDDK R01 DK59048, NCI R01 CA 107408-01A1]
- NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE [R01CA107408] Funding Source: NIH RePORTER
- NATIONAL CENTER FOR ADVANCING TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCES [UL1TR000005] Funding Source: NIH RePORTER
- NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DIABETES AND DIGESTIVE AND KIDNEY DISEASES [R01DK059048] Funding Source: NIH RePORTER
- NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NURSING RESEARCH [P30NR003924] Funding Source: NIH RePORTER
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Objective: Medication nonadherence has been a persistent problem over the past three decades; forgetting and being distracted from regular routines are the barriers most frequently cited by patients. Prior research on cognitive function and medication adherence has yielded mixed results. Design: This report compares findings of three studies: All were longitudinal, two were randomized controlled intervention trials, and one was descriptive. Samples of adult patients taking once daily lipid-lowering medication, diabetic patients with comorbid conditions on complex regimens, and early stage breast cancer patients on hormonal therapy completed similar batteries of standardized, valid, neuropsychological tests at baseline. Main Outcome Measures: Adherence to medication regimens, over time, was tracked with electronic event monitors. Results: Medication nonadherence was prevalent in all studies. Deficits in attention/mental flexibility and/or working memory predicted nonadherence in all studies; impaired executive function was related to poor adherence in one study. Conclusion: These findings suggest that better mental efficiency may be the key to better medication adherence with any regimen, and that targeted cognitive functions, which can be easily and quickly assessed, may identify patients at risk of poor adherence regardless of diagnosis or regimen.
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