Do I really need to take medication as directed?
According to the World Health Organization, only 50% of people take their medications for chronic illnesses correctly.
Failure to take medication as directed can have devastating consequences for people with chronic diseases such as:
- Asthma
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
If you forget to take your over-the-counter cold medicine, you may wind up with a bad case of the sniffles. But if you forget to take your prescription asthma medication, you could wind up in the hospital, or worse.
Why do people not take medications correctly?
Sometimes forgetfulness plays a factor in properly taking medication. Some patients only need a simple reminder to take medications correctly. However, if we assume all patients are just kind of forgetful and need a reminder, we may be missing the bigger picture.
Reasons why people don’t take medications as directed are varied and complex. Sometimes patients are concerned that:
- Side effects of the drug may be worse than the sickness itself.
- Feel fine and think that the drug can’t be doing them any good.
- Worry about costs.
- In the case of antibiotics, patients may feel better and not complete a full course of the drug. This is a dangerous practice that can lead to the development of drug-resistant strains of diseases such as pneumonia, skin infections and tuberculosis.
If you have concerns about your medications, please talk with your doctor.
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