Behavior-changing methods for improving adherence to medication.

Long-term adherence to antihypertensive drug therapy is poor, and new strategies to predict and improve adherence to prescribed drug regimens are needed. The literature on behavior change is reviewed, and a new perspective on medication adherence is presented. Successfully adopting and continuing with a long-term medication regimen requires behavior change, and behavior change principles can be used to accelerate the adoption of adherence to medication- taking behavior. The efficacy of behavior-changing interventions, which are tailored to each patient's stage of change, has been demonstrated in several health behavior areas. Rewards, monitoring devices, and reminder techniques are most useful for individuals in later stages of behavior change, but individuals in earlier stages need consciousness-raising interventions that focus upon awareness of the benefits of therapy. Recent research has yielded reliable ways to measure the stage of change for medication adherence, providing the foundation for the application of behavior- changing principles to the pharmacologic management of hypertension.