Cardio Metabolic

The adherence challenge in cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of mortality globally, and disproportionately affects low- and middle-income countries Around 40-50% of patients with cardiovascular disease demonstrate poor or non-adherence to their treatment regimen. This can have a detrimental impact on not only the individual, but also the wider community Adherence as a behavior requires the understanding and…

Understanding adherence from a cardiovascular-disease perspective

Adherence is a behavior that encompasses the patient, the healthcare provider and the ability to follow agreed recommendations e.g., dietary changes and exercise Adherence comprises multiple stages and can be divided into intentional or non-intentional behaviors There are a variety of factors that influence one’s ability to adhere, extending from the initial consultation through to…

The role of beliefs in non-adherence

Beliefs have a strong influence over a patient’s motivation to adhere to treatment These include patient beliefs about their illness, their treatment and their own capacity for adhering (self-efficacy) It is vital that clinicians assess patients individually to understand their beliefs and motivations, supporting them in adhering to their medication regimens Beliefs have an important…

Using tools to assess patient adherence

Measures and survey tools, in conjunction with objective measures, are useful tools for characterizing patient health behavior Effective use of these tools has the potential to improve adherence Measures and survey tools are useful for characterizing patient health behavior Quantitative methods are useful for characterizing health behavior and supporting patients in the self-management of their…

Behavioral approaches to changing adherence in patients with cardiovascular disease

Commonly used strategies to influence behavior are often also the least effective Using theory driven behavioral interventions, such as motivational interviewing,  can influence patient health behavior and disease outcomes A range of behavior change techniques can be used for improving treatment adherence Effectiveness of commonly used behavior-change strategies Commonly used strategies to influence behavior may…

Personalization of adherence support with Patient Support Programs (PSPs): the advent of the digital era

Patient Support Programs (PSPs) are behavioral interventions designed to help patients adhere to their medication and treatment plans PSPs are increasingly incorporating digital components, such as SMS, web portals and artificial intelligence to reach the broadest patient population possible Effective PSPs are personalized, applying behavioral-science techniques to digital interventions to increase their effectiveness PSPs are…

Explaining non-adherence – The Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, and Behavior (COM-B) framework

There are many reasons, some modifiable, that patients do not adhere to cardiovascular-disease treatments, therefore, a comprehensive framework for assessing and understanding adherence is needed1 The COM-B system is a framework for understanding behavior that has been applied to adherence, encompassing Capability, Opportunity and Motivation2,3 COM-B allows  for a precise understanding of the relationship between…

The impact of Patient Support Programs on adherence: enhancing engagement and improving effectiveness

PSPs are designed to boost adherence; some have significant impact, however, other programs have been shown to have limited success PSPs should have their basis in behavioral science theories and incorporate a mixture of informative and behavioral strategies to enhance their effectiveness Patient Support Programs are designed to boost adherence Patient Support Programs (PSPs) employ…