Compliance and its determinants

ABSTRACT

TWO hundred and fourteen patients were interviewed to assess the degree of their compliance to prescription instructions and to identify factors that affected that compliance. Patients instructed to take medications once per day and those given medications for nine days or less were found to comply significantly better than others, while those instructed to take medications four times daily and those given medications for ten to fourteen days had a significantly lower compliance. Patients younger than 25 years were found to have a significantly lower compliance than older patients. Sex, family size, type of drugs and number of drugs were not found to affect compliance. Where possible, it is preferrable to give the same daily requirement in less than four doses and to limit prescription to nine days or less. Otherwise the importance of taking medications according to instructions should be stressed, especially to patients where low compliance is expected