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Adherence

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine

  • 144 Accesses

Synonyms

Patient compliance

Definition

Adherence is a term used to describe the extent to which an individual’s behavior coincides with health-related instructions or recommendations given by a health-care provider in the context of a specific disease or disorder. The term has been used extensively in psychology and medicine in reference to acute, chronic, and preventive treatment regimens (e.g., a course of prescribed medication, wound self-care), preventive health screenings, dietary restriction, exercise recommendations, smoking cessation, and other health behaviors. Although adherence is synonymous with compliance in many contexts, the former is often preferred by behavioral scientists and allied health professionals given its emphasis of patient-provider collaboration as opposed to a more authoritarian, provider-centered exchange.

Description

Extent and Implications of Nonadherence

Despite significant advances in biomedical science related to the treatment of disease, the problem...

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References and Further Readings

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  • Christensen, A. J., Howren, M. B., Hillis, S. L., Kaboli, P., Carter, B. L., et al. (2010). Patient and physician beliefs about control over health: Association of symmetrical beliefs with medication regimen adherence. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 25, 397–402.

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  • Howren, M.B., Cozad, A.J., & Christensen, A.J. The interactive effects of patient control beliefs on adherence to fluid-intake restrictions in hemodialysis: Results from a randomized controlled trial. J Health Psychology. Online ahead of print DOI: 10.1177/1359105316631813.

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  • Howren, M. B., Van Lieuw, J. R., & Christensen, A. J. (2013). Advances in patient adherence to medical treatment regimens: The emerging role of technology in adherence monitoring and management. Social & Personality Psychology Compass – Health Series, 7, 427–443.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, The University of Iowa &VA Iowa City Healthcare System, 11 Seashore Hall East, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA

    M. Bryant Howren

Authors
  1. M. Bryant Howren
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Bryant Howren .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA

    Marc Gellman

  2. Campbell University School of Pharmacy, Buies Creek, North Carolina, USA

    J. Rick Turner

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Howren, M.B. (2016). Adherence. In: Gellman, M., Turner, J. (eds) Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6439-6_1203-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6439-6_1203-2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-6439-6

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