Skip to main content
PMC home page
Health Services Research logoLink to Health Services Research
. 1978 Summer;13(2):171–187.

Drug-taking compliance: a review and synthesis.

D B Christensen
PMCID: PMC1072052  PMID: 649415

Abstract

Patient compliance in taking prescribed drugs is still not well understood despite numerous studies. The state of knowledge through 1976 is reviewed, with some methodological criticisms of compliance studies, and patient, provider, disease, and drug factors associated with compliance are analyzed. Until recently the lack of a well-developed theory or model of compliance behavior was a major problem. Some compliance models based on the health belief model are discussed, and an alternative adaptation of the latter is developed.

Full text

PDF
171

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Antonovsky A. The model dental patient. An empirical study of preventive health behavior. Soc Sci Med. 1970 Nov;4(4):367–380. doi: 10.1016/0037-7856(70)90075-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BAKKER C. B., DIGHTMAN C. R. PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS IN FERTILITY CONTROL. Fertil Steril. 1964 Sep-Oct;15:559–567. doi: 10.1016/s0015-0282(16)35350-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. BERGMAN A. B., WERNER R. J. Failure of children to receive penicillin by mouth. N Engl J Med. 1963 Jun 13;268:1334–1338. doi: 10.1056/NEJM196306132682404. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Becker M. H., Drachman R. H., Kirscht J. P. A new approach to explaining sick-role behavior in low-income populations. Am J Public Health. 1974 Mar;64(3):205–216. doi: 10.2105/ajph.64.3.205. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Becker M. H., Drachman R. H., Kirscht J. P. Motivations as predictors of health behavior. Health Serv Rep. 1972 Nov;87(9):852–862. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Blackwell B. Drug therapy: patient compliance. N Engl J Med. 1973 Aug 2;289(5):249–252. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197308022890506. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Blackwell B. The drug defaulter. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1972 Nov-Dec;13(6):841–848. doi: 10.1002/cpt1972135part2841. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Brook R. H., Appel F. A., Avery C., Orman M., Stevenson R. L. Effectiveness of inpatient follow-up care. N Engl J Med. 1971 Dec 30;285(27):1509–1514. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197112302852705. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Caron H. S., Roth H. P. Patients' cooperation with a medical regimen. Difficulties in identifying the noncooperator. JAMA. 1968 Mar 11;203(11):922–926. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Charney E., Bynum R., Eldredge D., Frank D., MacWhinney J. B., McNabb N., Scheiner A., Sumpter E. A., Iker H. How well do patients take oral penicillin? A collaborative study in private practice. Pediatrics. 1967 Aug;40(2):188–195. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Davis M. S. Variations in patients' compliance with doctors' advice: an empirical analysis of patterns o communication. Am J Public Health Nations Health. 1968 Feb;58(2):274–288. doi: 10.2105/ajph.58.2.274. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Davis M. S. Variations in patients' compliance with doctors' orders: analysis of congruence between survey responses and results of empirical investigations. J Med Educ. 1966 Nov;41(11):1037–1048. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Donabedian A., Rosenfeld L. S. Follow-up study of chronically ill patients discharged from hospitals. J Chronic Dis. 1964 Sep;17(9):847–862. doi: 10.1016/0021-9681(64)90013-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Francis V., Korsch B. M., Morris M. J. Gaps in doctor-patient communication. Patients' response to medical advice. N Engl J Med. 1969 Mar 6;280(10):535–540. doi: 10.1056/NEJM196903062801004. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Gatley M. S. To be taken as directed. J R Coll Gen Pract. 1968 Jul;16(1):39–44. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Gordis L., Markowitz M., Lilienfeld A. M. Why patients don't follow medical advice: a study of children on long-term antistreptococcal prophylaxis. J Pediatr. 1969 Dec;75(6):957–968. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(69)80332-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. HEINZELMANN F. Factors in prophylaxis behavior in treating rheumatic fever: an exploratory study. J Health Hum Behav. 1962;3:73–81. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Haefner D. P., Kirscht J. P. Motivational and behavioral effects of modifying health beliefs. Public Health Rep. 1970 Jun;85(6):478–484. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Hulka B. S., Cassel J. C., Kupper L. L., Burdette J. A. Communication, compliance, and concordance between physicians and patients with prescribed medications. Am J Public Health. 1976 Sep;66(9):847–853. doi: 10.2105/ajph.66.9.847. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Kasl S. V., Cobb S. Health behavior, illness behavior, and sick role behavior. I. Health and illness behavior. Arch Environ Health. 1966 Feb;12(2):246–266. doi: 10.1080/00039896.1966.10664365. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Kasl S. V., Cobb S. Health behavior, illness behavior, and sick-role behavior. II. Sick-role behavior. Arch Environ Health. 1966 Apr;12(4):531–541. doi: 10.1080/00039896.1966.10664421. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. LUNTZ G. R., AUSTIN R. New stick test for P.A.S. in urine. Report on use of "phenistix" and problems of long-term chemotherapy for tuberculosis. Br Med J. 1960 Jun 4;1(5187):1679–1684. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.5187.1679. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Lipman R. S., Rickels K., Uhlenhuth E. H., Park L. C., Fisher S. Neurotics who fail to take their drugs. Br J Psychiatry. 1965 Nov;111(480):1043–1049. doi: 10.1192/bjp.111.480.1043. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. MOHLER D. N., WALLIN D. G., DREYFUS E. G. Studies in the home treatment of streptococcal disease. I. Failure of patients to take penicillin by mouth as prescribed. N Engl J Med. 1955 Jun 30;252(26):1116–1118. doi: 10.1056/NEJM195506302522604. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Malahy B. The effect of instruction and labeling on the number of medication errors made by patients at home. Am J Hosp Pharm. 1966 Jun;23(6):283–292. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Marston M. V. Compliance with medical regimens: a review of the literature. Nurs Res. 1970 Jul-Aug;19(4):312–323. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Porter A. M. Drug defaulting in a general practice. Br Med J. 1969 Jan 25;1(5638):218–222. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.5638.218. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. RASKIN A. A comparison of acceptors and resistors of drug treatment as an adjunct to psychotherapy. J Consult Psychol. 1961 Aug;25:366–366. doi: 10.1037/h0046007. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. ROTH H. P., BERGER D. G. Studies on patient cooperation in ulcer treatment. I. Observation of actual as compared to prescribed antacid intake on a hospital ward. Gastroenterology. 1960 Apr;38:630–633. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Rosenstock I. M. Why people use health services. Milbank Mem Fund Q. 1966 Jul;44(3 Suppl):94–127. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Roth H. P., Caron H. S., Hsi B. P. Measuring intake of a prescribed medication. A bottle count and a tracer technique compared. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1970 Mar-Apr;11(2):228–237. doi: 10.1002/cpt1970112228. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. SCHWARTZ D., WANG M., ZEITZ L., GOSS M. E. Medication errors made by elderly, chronically ill patients. Am J Public Health Nations Health. 1962 Dec;52:2018–2029. doi: 10.2105/ajph.52.12.2018. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Sharpe T. R., Mikeal R. L. Patient compliance with antibiotic regimens. Am J Hosp Pharm. 1974 May;31(5):479–484. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Stewart R. B., Cluff L. E. A review of medication errors and compliance in ambulant patients. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1972 Jul-Aug;13(4):463–468. doi: 10.1002/cpt1972134463. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Stimson G. V. Obeying doctor's orders: a view from the other side. Soc Sci Med. 1974 Feb;8(2):97–104. doi: 10.1016/0037-7856(74)90039-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Health Services Research are provided here courtesy of Health Research & Educational Trust

RESOURCES