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Cited by 2,028Medication Adherence and CompliancePharmacy and Medical PracticesPatient Safety and Medication Errors

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 147 of the 147 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

A new taxonomy for describing and defining adherence to medications

Open access
Vrijens, Bernard, De Geest, Sabina, Hughes, Dyfrig A., Przemyslaw, Kardas, Demonceau, Jenny, Ruppar, Todd, Dobbels, Fabienne, Fargher, Emily, Morrison, Valerie, Lewek, Pawel, Matyjaszczyk, Michal, Mshelia, Comfort, Clyne, Wendy, Aronson, Jeffrey K., Urquhart, J., for the ABC Project Team·2012·British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
DOI 10.1111/j.1365-2125.2012.04167.xPMC PMC3403197
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Abstract

Interest in patient adherence has increased in recent years, with a growing literature that shows the pervasiveness of poor adherence to appropriately prescribed medications. However, four decades of adherence research has not resulted in uniformity in the terminology used to describe deviations from prescribed therapies. The aim of this review was to propose a new taxonomy, in which adherence to medications is conceptualized, based on behavioural and pharmacological science, and which will support quantifiable parameters. A systematic literature review was performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library and PsycINFO from database inception to 1 April 2009. The objective was to identify the different conceptual approaches to adherence research. Definitions were analyzed according to time and methodological perspectives. A taxonomic approach was subsequently derived, evaluated and discussed with international experts. More than 10 different terms describing medication-taking behaviour were identified through the literature review, often with differing meanings. The conceptual foundation for a new, transparent taxonomy relies on three elements, which make a clear distinction between processes that describe actions through established routines ('Adherence to medications', 'Management of adherence') and the discipline that studies those processes ('Adherence-related sciences'). 'Adherence to medications' is the process by which patients take their medication as prescribed, further divided into three quantifiable phases: 'Initiation', 'Implementation' and 'Discontinuation'. In response to the proliferation of ambiguous or unquantifiable terms in the literature on medication adherence, this research has resulted in a new conceptual foundation for a transparent taxonomy. The terms and definitions are focused on promoting consistency and quantification in terminology and methods to aid in the conduct, analysis and interpretation of scientific studies of medication adherence.

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Research works printed but not linked: 5

  1. Johnson SB, 2002, Handbook of Clinical Health Psychology, Vol 2. Disorders of Behavior and Health, 329
  2. Urquhart J, 2005, New findings about patient adherence to prescribed drug dosing regimens: an introduction to pharmionics, Eur J Hosp Pharm Sci, 11, 103
  3. Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, 1997, From Compliance to Concordance: Towards Shared Goals in Medicine Taking
  4. Marinker M, 1998, The current status of compliance, Eur Respir Rev, 8, 235
  5. UrquhartJ VrijensB.Taxonomy of patient compliance‐related events in drug trials. Snowbird conference on causal inference 2001.2001.

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Metadata

Authors
Vrijens, B., De Geest, S., Hughes, D. A., Przemyslaw, K., Demonceau, J., Ruppar, T., Dobbels, F., Fargher, E., Morrison, V., Lewek, P., Matyjaszczyk, M., Mshelia, C., Clyne, W., Aronson, J. K., Urquhart, J., & for the ABC Project Team
Affiliations
  • University of Liège (BE)
  • Bangor University (GB)
  • University of Missouri (US)
  • KU Leuven (BE)
  • Keele University (GB)
  • University of Oxford (GB)
  • University of California, San Francisco (US)
Corresponding author
Vrijens, Bernard
ORCID
Venue
British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2012-04-05
Volume
73
Issue
5
Pages
691-705
ISSN
  • 0306-5251 (ISSN-L)
  • 1365-2125
DOI
10.1111/j.1365-2125.2012.04167.x
PMC
PMC3403197
OpenAlex
W1741567663
Cited by
2,028
References
147
Citations by year
2026: 170 · 2025: 195 · 2024: 238 · 2023: 190 · 2022: 192 · 2021: 196 · 2020: 182 · 2019: 156 · 2018: 144 · 2017: 141 · 2016: 75 · 2015: 59 · 2014: 39 · 2013: 42 · 2012: 9
FWCI
6.26
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations
  • British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Lirias (KU Leuven) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • ORBi (University of Liège) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • PEARL (University of Plymouth) (submittedVersion)
  • PEARL (University of Plymouth) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • edoc (University of Basel) (submittedVersion)
  • White Rose Research Online (University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield, University of York) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • European Commission (FP7/2007, 223477)
  • School of Medicine, Stanford University
  • Belgian Health Care Knowledge Centre
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Family Practice › Medication Adherence and Compliance
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Pharmacy and Medical Practices
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Patient Safety and Medication Errors
Keywords
medication adherence, terminology standardization, medication-taking behavior
MeSH terms
Pharmaceutical Preparations, Humans, Patient Care Management, Databases, Factual, Drug Monitoring, Disease Management, Medication Adherence

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