Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
Volume 59, Issue 1 , Pages 27-33, July 2008

One in 3 prescriptions are never redeemed: Primary nonadherence in an outpatient clinic

  • Andreas Storm, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Dermatology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Bispebjerg, Copenhagen, Denmark
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests: Andreas Storm, MD, Department of Dermatology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Bispebjerg, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, DK-2400 Copenhagen NV, Denmark.
    • ,
  • Stig Ejdrup Andersen, MD, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Bispebjerg, Copenhagen, Denmark
    • ,
  • Eva Benfeldt, MD, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Dermatology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Gentofte, Copenhagen, Denmark
    • ,
  • Jørgen Serup, MD, DMSc

      Affiliations

    • Department of Dermatology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Bispebjerg, Copenhagen, Denmark

Accepted 21 March 2008. published online 08 May 2008.

Background

Despite being essential to medication adherence, redemption of initial prescriptions (ie, primary adherence) has been investigated only sparsely.

Objectives

The objectives were to determine the frequency and risk factors for primary nonadherence among outpatients with dermatologic conditions.

Methods

Every 15th day during 2006, all patients receiving a prescription for an initial treatment with a previously untried medication were studied. Redemptions were traced in an electronic register after 4 weeks. Exclusions were a result of identical treatments within the last 6 months or hospitalizations within 4 weeks.

Results

In all, 30.7% of the 322 eligible patients did not collect their medication. Patients with psoriasis were least adherent with nearly 50% of the prescriptions being unredeemed.

Limitations

Only initial prescriptions for previously untried medications issued to hospital outpatients were studied.

Conclusions

For the clinician, primary nonadherence is an essential differential diagnosis when a given therapy fails.

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 Supported by LEO Pharma Nordic.

 Conflicts of interest: None declared.

PII: S0190-9622(08)00423-4

doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2008.03.045

Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
Volume 59, Issue 1 , Pages 27-33, July 2008

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