Objective: This review seeks to explore the main determinants of medication adherence among patients with chronic conditions, with the goal of informing future studies.
Methods: A systematic review of the literature was conducted to identify factors influencing medication adherence in chronic disease patients, using the COM-B (Capacity, Opportunity, Motivation-Behavior) model as an analytical framework.
Results: Medication adherence in patients with chronic conditions is directly or indirectly shaped by three categories of factors: capacity (e.g., physical and cognitive functioning, knowledge of disease and treatment, and habitual behavior), opportunity (e.g., access to information and learning resources, social influences, support from significant others, and financial resources), and motivation (e.g., self-efficacy, personal goals, illness perceptions, and attitudes toward medication).
Conclusion: This review highlights that medication adherence in chronic disease patients is shaped by multidimensional factors. Research has evolved from focusing on single-factor analyses to multi-dimensional approaches, with a shift from observational studies to interventional designs. Accordingly, tailored, multidimensional strategies should be developed to improve adherence among different patient groups.
Declarations
Not applicable.
Authors' contributions
Conceptualization, Z.J.; Methodology, Z.J.; Data curation, Z.J.; Formal analysis, Z.J.; Funding acquisition, not applicable; Project administration, not applicable; Resources, not applicable; Supervision, D.T.; Validation, H.J. and Z.Y.; Writing—original draft, Z.J.; Writing—review and editing, H.J. and Z.Y. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Ethical approval and consent to participate
Not applicable.
Consent for publication
Not applicable.
Availability of data and materials
Not applicable.
Funding
Not applicable.
Declaration of competing interest
All authors declare that there are no competing interests.
Acknowledgements
Not applicable.
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