Are attitudes towards medication adherence associated with medication adherence behaviours among patients with psychosis? A systematic review and meta analysis.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown patient attitudes to be an important predictor for health related behaviours including medication adherence. It is less clear whether patient attitudes are also associated with medication adherence among patients with psychoses. METHOD: We conducted a systematic review and meta analysis of the data of studies that tested the association of attitude measures with medication adherence among patients with psychoses. 14 studies conducted between 1980 and 2010 were included. RESULTS: Results show a small to moderate mean weighted effect size (r (+) = 0.25 and 0.26 for Pearson and Spearman correlations, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Theory based interventions that target potentially modifiable attitude components are needed to assess the relationship between positive patient attitudes and adherence behaviours among patients with psychoses.