Treatment adherence: a key challenge for Public Health
10 March, 2026
Following a treatment correctly may seem simple, but in practice it is a global challenge. The World Health Organization estimates that around 50% of patients with chronic diseases do not follow the prescribed regimen properly, reducing therapeutic effectiveness and increasing complications, hospital admissions, and healthcare costs.
Adherence is a complex phenomenon influenced by multiple factors: from physical and social barriers to emotional aspects or structural limitations within the healthcare system itself. Understanding these causes is essential to improving health outcomes.
Why Do Patients Not Always Follow Their Treatment? The Most Common Causes of Non-Adherence
The reasons why patients fail to follow their treatment are varied and often interconnected. The most common factors include:
Personal factors
| ● Side effects that are difficult to manage. |
| ● Lack of understanding of the disease or the benefits of treatment. |
| ● Fear, lack of motivation, or emotional exhaustion. |
| ● Difficulty integrating medication into daily routines. |
Social or logistical factors
| ● Distance to the hospital or mobility issues. |
| ● Lack of family support or availability to attend appointments. |
| ● Work commitments that make frequent medical visits difficult. |
Clinical factors
| ● Long-term treatments. |
| ● Complex regimens (multiple doses, different schedules). |
| ● Silent diseases in which the patient does not perceive immediate symptoms. |
Healthcare system-related factors
| ● Overburdened resources limiting personalised follow-up. |
| ● Insufficient consultation time to address questions or reinforce therapeutic education. |
Consequences of Poor Adherence
When a treatment is not followed correctly, the impact is felt at every level:
| For the patient | For the healthcare system | For public health and for the pharmaceutical company |
| ● Reduced treatment effectiveness. | ● More emergency visits and hospital admissions. | ● Poorer control of chronic diseases. |
| ● Increased relapses or complications. | ● Increased pressure on healthcare resources. | ● Greater overall economic impact. |
| ● Loss of quality of life. | ● Higher use of medicines and diagnostic tests. | ● Delays in real-world outcomes of new therapies. |
| ● Greater anxiety or feelings of failure. |
The Role of Patient Support Programmes (PSP)
In recent years, Patient Support Programmes have become a key complementary tool to improve adherence and support patients throughout their therapeutic journey. These programmes do not replace the work of healthcare professionals; rather, they enhance support and facilitate access to treatment.
What Do PSPs Offer?
✔ ️ Health education and training: Clear, accessible information about the disease and treatment, addressing questions and reinforcing the patient’s active role.
✔ ️ Structured follow-up: Reminders, periodic reviews, and monitoring of treatment progress.
✔ ️ Psychological and emotional support: Assistance in managing the emotional impact of the disease and strengthening motivation.
✔ ️ Logistical support: Initiatives such as home delivery of medicines reduce hospital visits and support therapeutic continuity.
✔ ️ Coordinated communication among healthcare actors: Better integration between patients, professionals, and other stakeholders, optimising follow-up and decision-making.
Why PSPs Help Improve Adherence
Support programmes address the most common causes of non-adherence:
| ● They simplify the patient experience. |
| ● They reinforce understanding of the treatment. |
| ● They provide continuous support. |
| ● They reduce logistical barriers. |
| ● They promote patient confidence and reassurance. |
Studies show that when patients feel supported and understand the purpose of their treatment, adherence improves significantly.
Towards a More Human, Patient-Centred Model
The challenge of adherence requires comprehensive solutions in which health education, accessibility, follow-up, and emotional support work together. Patient Support Programmes help move towards a more human, accessible, and sustainable model in which people feel supported and empowered to follow their treatment with confidence.
They also provide a way to measure treatment effectiveness through improved adherence, offering pharmaceutical companies greater insight to refine therapies and make evidence-based decisions. At the same time, they help relieve pressure on healthcare systems with limited resources.
Logista Pharma has developed a model designed to benefit all stakeholders involved—from the pharmaceutical company to the patient, including healthcare professionals and the wider system.
FAQs
● How Does Home Delivery Impact Adherence Data?
Home Delivery has a positive impact on adherence because it reduces logistical barriers-one of the most common causes of non-compliance. It avoids hospital trips, facilitates access to medication, reduces the impact of mobility limitations, and removes barriers such as work schedules or distance. In short, it improves treatment continuity by simplifying the patient experience.
● How Is the Success of a Patient Support Programme Measured?
The main indicators of PSP success include:
- Treatment continuity: number of adherent patients who complete the programme.
- Patient satisfaction: level of satisfaction with personalised care and support.
- Reduction in adherence-related incidents: close monitoring reduces the likelihood of issues.
- Useful data generated for the pharmaceutical company: potential side effects, treatment effectiveness, and insights that support decision-making.
● What Role Does Logista Pharma Play in These Programmes?
Logista Pharma provides a service that adds value to all stakeholders involved in PSPs: it facilitates access to treatments, supports patients, optimises processes through coordination among healthcare actors, and generates visibility and data that are highly valuable for pharmaceutical companies assessing the effectiveness of their therapies.
● What Is the Difference Between Adherence and Compliance?
Compliance refers to following the prescribed regimen (taking medication in the correct dose, schedule, and duration). Adherence, however, is a broader concept that includes understanding the treatment, motivation, the patient’s ability to integrate it into daily life, logistical barriers, emotional support, and limitations within the healthcare system.
● Are Patient Support Programmes Free for Patients?
These programmes do not involve any cost for the patient. They are generally funded by pharmaceutical companies or organisations responsible for the treatment to ensure that patients receive comprehensive support.