Table 1.
WHO’s five dimensions affecting adherence to long-term therapy*
| Social and economic related | Characteristics related to the patient’s economic and social position (eg, poverty, illiteracy, education level) |
| Healthcare team and system related | Aspects of the system and group of individuals providing condition-related care for the individual (eg, patient–provider relationship, medication distribution) |
| Therapy related | Factors related to the treatment protocol (eg, medical regimen, treatment length) |
| Patient related | Resources, knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, perceptions, and expectations of the patient (eg, self-efficacy), forgetfulness, psychosocial stressors |
| Condition related | Particular illness-related demands faced by the patient (eg, severity of symptoms, level of disability, rate of disease progression) |
*Table adapted from content from WHO33 framework on adherence.