For a successful treatment, patient compliance is essential. It has been seen that non-compliance behavior is very common worldwide among patients.
The non-compliance behavior is referred to as the refusal to take the proper medication and not following the instructions of the physician.
The non-compliance behavior is not only harmful to the patient’s health but also affects the whole health care system. Due to the non-compliance behavior of the patient, the health care system is having an additional burden and the health of the patient may be compromised.
On the other hand, patient compliance brings long-term benefits for the patient and it is also important for the overall health sector.
Meanwhile achieving patient compliance is not always easy because there are multiple factors associated with them.
In order to make your patient fully compliant with the medication, you need to focus on all these factors that somehow affect the compliance.
In this article, we will discuss how we can ensure patient compliance and what are the main reasons behind the non-compliance behavior of the patient.
Factors Affecting Patient Compliance
Following are those factors that affect patient compliance;
Communication Gaps between Patient and Physician
In every aspect of life communication is the key. The same rule applied in this phenomenon.
There has been a huge communication gap between the patient and the physician. Reducing this communication gap is essential for the patient as well as for the physician.
Some statistics suggest that the physician fails to communicate with the patient about the complication of the patient’s medical condition.
Having no clear idea about symptoms the patient may not seriously follow the instruction of the physician which may impact their health.
This communication gap is one of the top reasons behind the non-compliance behavior of the patient.
Lack of Financial Support
Financial instability is one of the top reasons which forced many patients to not take the medication.
When patients feel that they can’t afford to buy the prescribed medicine and follow the instruction of their physician.
If they consistently follow the medication then they may lose all of their savings. So due to this reason, they denied taking the medication properly.
No signs of Recovery
Like any other patient who is suffering from any kind of health, complications wants a swift recovery. But there are many health complications that need long-term medical compliance for effective results.
If someone is impatient then there are chances that symptoms may become worse. When a patient feels that he is not recovering from that medication then he might refuse to take the medicine further.
It is very necessary for a patient to be fully compliant with the medication even if they are not getting swift results.
Good communication between the patient and the physician is also essential in that matter.
Due to Side-Effects
For any medication and treatment, the side effects are common. Many patients complain about the side effects due to following particular medication.
While following many treatments the side effects are very common because not every medicine suits every body type.
Many patients after having some slight side effects of the medication may refuse to take the medication without taking any advice from the physician.
Forgetful Nature of the Patient
A forgetful nature contributes to the non-compliance behavior of the patient. Those patients who usually forget to take the medication on time are increasing the chances of the severity of the disease.
The forgetful nature of the patient is the same worldwide and it is also considered one of the most common reasons behind non-compliant behavior.
Non-compliant Behavior Due to Early Recovery
It is also one of the reasons behind and non-compliant behavior of the patient.
Usually when patients achieve an early recovery from the complication then they may feel that they don’t need to take the medication anymore.
This is not recommended in any case because in many cases you may get an early success but a consistent approach is essential especially when you are suffering from a serious health issue.
Other Factors behind a non-compliant behavior of the patient
There are also many other factors that are possible for non-compliant behavior, some of them are due to age factors. Older people are more compliant with the medications compared to young ones.
Similarly, gender also plays a role in determining the compliance behavior which suggests the tendency of non-compliant behavior is relatively higher in males than the females.
Health literacy is also a factor. Patients who are less educated and have a lack of awareness about health-related topics are more vulnerable to non-compliant behavior.
Tips to ensure Patient Compliance
Here are some tips which can help you to ensure your patient compliance:
- As said earlier, Communication is the key. It is the responsibility of the physician to make effective communication with the patient when he comes for the treatment.
- Ensuring good communication can help the patient to further understand the complications of the disease
- Financial support is very important for patients who are bound to take expensive medicine due to their health conditions. The patient can talk to the doctor for a better substitute pr less expensive medicine if possible.
- The physician can also guide them about the federal grant program and the possibility of taking health insurance.
- If the patient is suffering from the side effects of the medication then he should talk to their physician.
- Ensuring health literacy can help many patients to understand the importance of the treatment and especially the importance of compliance.
Read More: improving patient’s health
Final Verdict
Non-compliance behavior by patients is common, and if it is not addressed properly, it can harm both the patient and the health care system.
There are multiple reasons behind the non-compliant behavior of the patient and a proper guideline and financial support to the patient can give fruitful results.
