Reference, antecedents, consequences and related concepts
A prescribed medication regimen is the primary antecedent or
situation preceding the evaluation of adherence. Most of the
literature focuses on long-term medication use to manage
chronic diseases. Other less frequently prescribed regimens
include those for weight loss, exercise, smoking cessation and
diet or fluid restriction in the context of primary health care
or chronic disease management. The theme underlying the
primary antecedents is patients regard healthcare professionals
as trusted and knowledgeable sources of information
about treatment. Adherence assumes some degree of willingness
on the part of the patient to accept all or part of the
prescription. However, the degree to which a patient agrees
with or is involved in decisions about the prescription or
treatment is unclear.
The consequences of