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.

References 

  1. World Health Organization. Adherence to long-term therapies, evidence for action. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2003;
  2. Danish National Electronic Pharmacy Register. Available from: URL: http://www.medicinprofilen.dk. 2007. Accessed April 19, 2008.
  3. Danish Medicines Agency. Available from: URL: http://www.laegemiddelstyrelsen.dk. 2007. Accessed April 19, 2008.
  4. Serup J, Lindblad AK, Maroti M, Kjellgren KI, Niklasson E, Ring L, et al. To follow or not to follow dermatological treatment–a review of the literature. Acta Derm Venereol. 2006;86:193–197
  5. Kjellgren KI, Ring L, Lindblad AK, Maroti M, Serup J. To follow dermatological treatment regimens–patients' and providers' views. Acta Derm Venereol. 2004;84:445–450
  6. Richards HL, Fortune DG, Griffiths CEM. Adherence to treatment in patients with psoriasis. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2006;20:370–379
  7. Ulff E, Maroti M, Kettis-Lindblad A, Kjellgren KI, Ahlner J, Ring L, et al. Single application of a fluorescent test cream by healthy volunteers: assessment of treated and neglected body sites. Br J Dermatol. 2007;156:974–978
  8. Carroll CL, Feldman SR, Camacho FT, Balkrishnan R. Better medication adherence results in greater improvement in severity of psoriasis. Br J Dermatol. 2004;151:895–897
  9. Hagstrom B, Mattsson B, Rost IM, Gunnarsson RK. What happened to the prescriptions? A single, short, standardized telephone call may increase compliance. Fam Pract. 2004;21:46–50
  10. Beardon PH, McGilchrist MM, McKendrick AD, McDevitt DG, MacDonald TM. Primary non-compliance with prescribed medication in primary care. BMJ. 1993;307:846–848
  11. Matsui D, Joubert GI, Dykxhoorn S, Rieder MJ. Compliance with prescription filling in the pediatric emergency department. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2000;154:195–198
  12. Wroth TH, Pathman DE. Primary medication adherence in a rural population: the role of the patient-physician relationship and satisfaction with care. J Am Board Fam Med. 2006;19:478–486
  13. Carroll CL, Feldman SR, Camacho FT, Manuel JC, Balkrishnan R. Adherence to topical therapy decreases during the course of an 8-week psoriasis clinical trial: commonly used methods of measuring adherence to topical therapy overestimate actual use. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2004;51:212–216
  14. Winnick S, Lucas DO, Hartman AL, Toll D. How do you improve compliance?. Pediatrics. 2005;115:718–724
  15. Hugtenburg JG, Blom AT, Kisoensingh SU. Initial phase of chronic medication use; patients' reasons for discontinuation. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2006;61:352–354
  16. Andersson K, Melander A, Svensson C, Lind O, Nilsson JL. Repeat prescriptions: refill adherence in relation to patient and prescriber characteristics, reimbursement level and type of medication. Eur J Public Health. 2005;15:621–626
  17. Brown KK, Rehmus WE, Kimball AB. Determining the relative importance of patient motivations for nonadherence to topical corticosteroid therapy in psoriasis. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2006;55:607–613
  18. Tarn DM, Heritage J, Paterniti DA, Hays RD, Kravitz RL, Wenger NS. Physician communication when prescribing new medications. Arch Intern Med. 2006;166:1855–1862
  19. Lindblad AK, Kjellgren KI, Ring L, Maroti M, Serup J. The role of dermatologists, nurses and pharmacists in chronic dermatological treatment: patient and provider views and experiences. Acta Derm Venereol. 2006;86:202–208
  20. Lee IA, Maibach HI. Pharmionics in dermatology: a review of topical medication adherence. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2006;7:231–236

 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

Article Tools

* Image Usage & Resolution