Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Clinical Trial
. 2013 Apr;25(4):469-73.
doi: 10.1097/MEG.0b013e32835c2a1b.

Telehealth behavioral treatment for medication nonadherence: a pilot and feasibility study

Kevin A Hommel  1 , Elizabeth Hente, Michele Herzer, Lisa M Ingerski, Lee A Denson
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Telehealth behavioral treatment for medication nonadherence: a pilot and feasibility study

Kevin A Hommel et al. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2013 Apr.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate an individually tailored multicomponent nonadherence treatment protocol using a telehealth delivery approach in adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease.

Methods: Nine participants, age 13.71±1.35 years, completed a brief treatment online through Skype. Medication nonadherence, severity of disease, and feasibility/acceptability data were obtained.

Results: Adherence increased markedly from 62% at baseline to 91% for mesalamine (δ=0.63), but decreased slightly from 61% at baseline to 53% for 6-mercaptopurine /azathioprine. The telehealth delivery approach resulted in cost savings of $100 in mileage and 4 h of travel time/patient. Treatment session attendance was 100%, and the intervention was rated as acceptable, particularly in terms of treatment convenience.

Conclusion: Individually tailored treatment of nonadherence through telehealth delivery is feasible and acceptable. This treatment shows promise for clinical efficacy to improve medication adherence and reduce costs. Large-scale testing is necessary to determine the impact of this intervention on adherence and health outcomes.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Treatment effect on medication adherence. 6-MP, 6-mercaptopurine.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Rapoff MA. Adherence to pediatric medical regimens. 2nd ed. Springer; New York: 2010.
    1. Berg JS, Dischler J, Wagner DJ, Raia JJ, Palmer-Shevlin N. Medication compliance: a healthcare problem. Ann Pharmacother. 1993;27(Suppl):S1–24. - PubMed
    1. DiMatteo MR. The role of effective communication with children and their families in fostering adherence to pediatric regimens. Patient Educ Couns. 2004;55:339–344. - PubMed
    1. Logan D, Zelikovsky N, Labay L, Spergel J. The illness management survey: identifying adolescents’ perceptions of barriers to adherence. J Pediatr Psychol. 2003;28:383–392. - PubMed
    1. Hommel KA, Davis CM, Baldassano RN. Objective versus subjective assessment of oral medication adherence in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2009;15:589–593. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms