Student and Community Perceptions on Reasons for Medication Non-Adherence

Abstract The purpose of this research was to improve medication adherence by exploring and reflecting on differences in the perceptions of pharmacy students and the public regarding factors contributing to medication non-adherence. Two hundred eighty six pharmacy students and 310 patients participated in this study. Patients were recruited by pharmacy students from Midwest community pharmacies, while the students completed an experiential rotation. Students identified their patients based on evidence of non-adherence from medication profiles and asked patients to participate in the assignment. Data was collected over a four-year period, resulting in two years of information on patient perceptions and two years on student perceptions. The researchers’ ranked the data and examined it in light of medication adherence literature. The researchers found a significant difference between patients\u27 and students\u27 rankings of reasons for medication non-adherence. (4.38, 3.42), t (15) = 5.11, p \u3c .001, d =1.27. Although patients and students were in agreement with the top three factors contributing to non-adherence, there were important differences between student and patient perceptions in regard to 13 additional reasons. Medications that interfere with lifestyle, sexual health and drinking alcohol are significant issues for patients, whereas, students believed that confusion and lack of understanding were primary problems. Opportunities to understand and reflect on the dissonance in perceptions of student pharmacists and their patients provides an avenue for medication adherence instruction. Medication adherence education can be situated in experiential education to ensure that training translates into clinical expertise