Chronic pain is a common chronic medical condition. Its treatment is difficult and relies upon a multidisciplinary approach. Although pain medication remain one of the cornerstones of chronic pain therapy, the effects of pharmacological therapy are often less than expected. One of the reasons might be that a large proportion of chronic pain patients do not adhere to the prescribed therapy. In this thesis, prevalence and determinants of medication non- adherence in chronic pain patients are reviewed and investigated. Furthermore, the results of two randomized clinical trials investigating the effects of potential adherence improving interventions are presented. Finally, the design of a theory-based intervention with the help of psychological models of behaviour change is described. Medication adherence in chronic pain patients is complex behaviour in a complex medical condition. Health care providers play a crucial role to improve medication adherence by identifying patients at risk and apply adherence improving interventions.

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F.J.P.M. Huygen (Frank) , D.L. Stronks (Dirk)
Erasmus University Rotterdam
hdl.handle.net/1765/104293
Center for Pain Medicine

Timmerman, L. (2018, February 9). Medication Adherence in Chronic Pain Patients. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1765/104293