. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2012 Jan 12.

Published in final edited form as: Osteoporos Int. 2009 Jun 5;20(12):2127–2134. doi: 10.1007/s00198-009-0976-0

Table 1.

Characteristics of selected studies designed to improve osteoporosis medication adherence

Study	Design	Country	Setting	Study Population and Description
Study	Design	Country	Setting		No. of participants	Description
Shu et al, 2008 [23]	RCT	US	Physicians’ offices/Telephone/Mail	Control:	46	Usual care.
Shu et al, 2008 [23]	RCT	US	Physicians’ offices/Telephone/Mail	Intervention:	80	Patients received a letter with osteoporosis information and an automated phone call inviting them for a BMD test. Their physicians received osteoporosis education.
Delmas et al, 2007 [25]	RCT	Multinational	Hospital-based and academic clinics	Control:	1113	Patients received Calcium, Vitamin D, and risedronate (5mg) with instructions for taking the medication. At weeks 13 and 25 patients received information about the importance of adherence with therapy.
Delmas et al, 2007 [25]	RCT	Multinational	Hospital-based and academic clinics	Intervention:	1189	Same as control except patients also received feedback on their response to therapy based on BTM measurements at weeks 13 and 25.
Cook et al, 2007 [27]	NRHCT	US	Clinic/Telephone	Control:	NR	National baseline data on osteoporosis medication adherence was used.
Cook et al, 2007 [27]	NRHCT	US	Clinic/Telephone	Intervention:	188	Patients received phone calls from nurse educators who provided counseling consistent with motivational interviewing principles.
Cooper et al, 2006 [24]	RCT	UK	Physicians’ offices	Control:	529	Weekly alendronate tablet (70mg) prescribed.
Cooper et al, 2006 [24]	RCT	UK	Physicians’ offices	Intervention:	547	Monthly ibandronate tablet (150mg) and a patient support program that included information about osteoporosis; monthly reminder phone calls from nurses who provided dosing instructions, osteoporosis information, and stressed the importance of adherence; and a newsletter at 3 months.
Guilera et al, 2005 [26]	RCT	Spain	Physicians’ offices	Control:	259^a	Patients met with a physician (no leaflet provided).
Guilera et al, 2005 [26]	RCT	Spain	Physicians’ offices	Intervention:	269^a	Patients received a leaflet with information about osteoporosis and the importance of therapy adherence. The attending physician reviewed the leaflet with the patient.
Schousboe et al, 2005 [28]	RCT	US	Clinic/Telephone	Control:	31	Patients received an osteoporosis informational brochure.
Schousboe et al, 2005 [28]	RCT	US	Clinic/Telephone	Intervention:	37	Patients received an osteoporosis informational brochure, BMD test, and four telephone consultations with a nurse educator.
Clowes et al, 2004 [29]	RCT	UK	Osteoporosis clinic	Control:	24	Usual care.
Clowes et al, 2004 [29]	RCT	UK	Osteoporosis clinic	Intervention:	Arm A: 24 Arm B: 25	Arm A: Patients met with nursing staff at 12, 24, 36 weeks and participated in pre-defined interviews consisting of open questions related to well-being and medication problems. Arm B: Same as Arm A except following each interview, patients were also presented with a graph showing their response to therapy based on BTM measurements.

RCT randomized controlled trial, NRHCT nonrandomized historical controlled trial, NR not reported

Includes chronic users of antiresorptive therapy