A huge number of people don’t take their medications properly. According to the World Health Organization, adherence to long-term therapy for chronic illnesses in developed countries such as Canada averages just 50%.
Thirty-seven per cent of Canadians today are managing a chronic condition, including illnesses such as arthritis, hypertension, diabetes and asthma. These conditions are not only common, but on the rise and can represent a significant cost to your drug plan. Non-adherence compounds your long-term costs because these conditions are not being properly treated and managed.
And the costs are significant. Every year, medication non-adherence results in 5% of Canadian hospital admissions, 5% of physician visits, and contributes $4 billion to health care costs. It also contributes to faster disease progression, temporary disability, and increased absenteeism.
Next week we will talk about how do we change this or can we?
I would like to thank Sun Life and The Conversation for this article.