{"id":7456,"date":"2022-07-19T05:56:04","date_gmt":"2022-07-19T05:56:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.reanfoundation.org\/?p=7456"},"modified":"2023-06-07T10:08:56","modified_gmt":"2023-06-07T10:08:56","slug":"reasons-for-patients-refusing-medicine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reanfoundation.org\/reasons-for-patients-refusing-medicine\/","title":{"rendered":"Medication Non-Adherence: Why do Patients Say \"NO\" to Medicines?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Medication non-adherence: What is it and Why Should We be Worried?<\/h2>\n

The fancy term that translates to patients saying \"NO\" to their prescribed medication is fast becoming a common problem.<\/p>\n

Let's face the truth. No one likes taking medication unless it gives you immediate relief from pain or a threatening medical condition. However, medication non-adherence is becoming extremely common among patients with chronic medical conditions.<\/p>\n

Statistics say that medication non-adherence affects nearly 40%-50%<\/a> of the patients in the US who need to manage conditions like hypertension and diabetes. Moreover, non-adherence to prescribed treatment causes at least 100,000 preventable deaths every year.<\/p>\n

In this scenario, partial non-adherence is becoming more habitual than complete discontinuity. Although some patients rationalise their medication course without harm, partial non-adherence can also have detrimental effects.<\/p>\n

Let's face the elephant in the room: Why are patients refusing to take their medications? Our compilation of reasons will certainly be an eye-opener on this topic.<\/p>\n

Top 8 Reasons for Medication Non-Adherence<\/h2>\n

Out of a billion medical prescriptions<\/a> written yearly, more than half are not followed. Why is medication adherence<\/a> a big challenge? Experts point to several barriers contributing to the alarming statistics and health outcomes.<\/p>\n

They are:<\/p>\n

1. Fear<\/strong><\/p>\n

There's no doubt that all patients want a cure for their ailment but fear the medicines that may give them exactly what they want. There is a general apprehension about taking medication for long-term illnesses. People often fear the adeverse effects of medications or have had unfortunate experiences with them in the past. This fear is heightened by gossip, rumours, and versions from family and friends. Patients may also stop following medications for fear of relying on them for the rest of their lives.<\/p>\n

2. Lack of trust<\/strong><\/p>\n

A small rumour or controversy can spark mistrust amongst patients, making them question the doctor's motive in prescribing medications for chronic illnesses. Today, patients are easily influenced by social media feeds and sensationally-titled videos that harp about pharma companies manipulating physicians' prescription intentions and patterns. A small seed of mistrust is enough to make patients wary about life-saving medicines.<\/p>\n

3. Lack of proper understanding<\/strong><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, patients sometimes tend to misunderstand the very purpose of the prescription. This misunderstanding is common for mental health medications, which do not attribute to any physical changes. In these scenarios, many patients tend to discontinue when:<\/p>\n