Medication Adherence

Our current medication adherence programs are designed to complement physician-prescribed programs of treatment and deal specifically with consistently taking:

1. Blood pressure lowering (antihypertensive) medication, and
2. Cholesterol (lipid) lowering medication

Many patients have not made a decision to take prescribed medicines, or if they have, end up missing doses. Because the TTM targets the entire population of patients, our programs are especially effective in improving prescription acquisition and adherance.

Online Program

View sample screens (High Blood Pressure)

Printed Manuals

A Guide for Managing Cholesterol
A Guide for Managing High Blood Pressure

Stage-based manuals for adults who need to take medication consistently. Targeted behaviors include medication adherence, healthy eating, and moderate exercise. Part of the off-line programs or available separately.

View sample pages (cholesterol) (anithypertensive)

For ordering information, see our manuals order page.

Effectiveness

Adherence to Antihypertensive Medication

Over 1,000 members of a New England group practice who were prescribed antihypertensive medication participated in Pro-Change’s Adherence to Antihypertensive Medication intervention.¹ The vast majority (73%) of the intervention group who were previously not adhering to their prescribed medication regimen were adhering at the 12-month follow-up.

Adherence to Lipid-Lowering Drugs

Members of a large New England health plan and various employer groups who were prescribed a cholesterol lowering medication participated in Pro-Change’s Adherence to Lipid-Lowering Drugs intervention.² More than half of the intervention group (56%) who were previously not adhering to their prescribed medication regimen were adhering at the 18-month follow-up. Additionally, a vast majority (85%) of those in the intervention group who were already adhering to their medication were prevented from relapsing into poor medication adherence.

Background

Lipid

Did you know that over 13 million Americans have been prescribed medication to manage their cholesterol? But starting and continuing to take medication consistently can be difficult. Our Managing Cholesterol Program can make it easier to manage cholesterol by taking medication consistently, eating a healthy diet, and exercising regularly. By participating in this program, participants will:

• Learn how people change
• Learn how ready they are to take medication consistently to manage their cholesterol, eat a healthy diet, and exercise regularly
• Learn skills and strategies to help prepare them to make changes and stick with them.

Scientific program description:

A Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change Program for adults aimed at improving adherence among individuals prescribed lipid-lowering medication. The program addresses adherence and relapse prevention for individuals at all stages of change who are taking their medication consistently, are taking it inconsistently, have discontinued it, or have not filled their prescription. The program includes assessments at three time points with tailored feedback reports (0, 3, and 6 months) for stage of change, decisional balance, self-efficacy, and stage-matched processes of change. A workbook addressing all five stages of change is available in print. Developed with support from Small Business Innovation Research grant R44HL064504 from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI).

Antihypertensive

Did you know that more than 65 million Americans have high blood pressure? Of all those people, only about 34% have it under control. The Managing High Blood Pressure program is designed to help manage blood pressure using healthy strategies. By using this program, participants will:

• Learn how people change
• Learn how ready they are to take high blood pressure medication consistently, reach and maintain a healthy weight, eat a healthy diet, reduce sodium, exercise regularly, and drink in moderation
• Learn skills and strategies to help prepare them to make changes and stick with them.

Scientific program description:

A Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change Program for adults aimed at improving adherence among individuals prescribed antihypertensive medication. The program addresses adherence and relapse prevention for individuals at all stages of change who are taking their medication consistently, are taking it inconsistently, have discontinued it, or have not filled their prescription. The program includes assessments at three time points with tailored feedback reports (0, 3 and 6 months) for stage of change, decisional balance, self-efficacy, and stage-matched processes of change. A workbook addressing all five stages of change is available in print. Developed with support from Small Business Innovation Research grant R44HL063481 from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI).

Results Published

^1.Johnson, S.S., Driskell, M.M., Johnson, J.L., Prochaska, J.M., Prochaska, J.O., Zwick, W. (2006). Efficacy of a transtheoretical model-based expert system for antihypertensive adherence. Disease Management, 9, 291-301.

^2.Johnson, S.S., Driskell, M.M., Johnson, J.L., Dyment, S.J., Prochaska, J.M., and Bourne, L. (2006). Transtheoretical model intervention for adherence to lipid-lowering drugs. Disease Management, 9, 102-114.