Adherence in dermatology

Abstract

Non-adherence to treatment and medical recommendations is one of the leading causes of treatment failure, poor clinical outcomes, and increased healthcare utilization. Although non-adherence is observed across all medical specialties, adherence to treatment in dermatology deserves special attention given the multiple different routes of treatment. Adherence can be measured using subjective methods (patient reporting and questionnaires) or objective methods (pill counts, electronic chips, and pharmacy records). Adherence to dermatologic treatments varies based on the specific condition but is poor for systemic therapies and even worse with topical agents. Among the factors that influence adherence, duration of treatment, complexity of regimen, and access play a large role. Interventions to improve adherence can range from simplifying treatment regimens to scheduling more frequent office visits. Due to the profound effect on cost, healthcare outcomes, and mortality, understanding and improving adherence is equally as important as making the correct diagnosis and prescribing the correct treatment.