Supporting medication adherence for long-term conditions: challenges and opportunities to move the field forward

Abstract

Medication non-adherence remains a persistent challenge in managing long-term conditions, despite decades of research and hundreds of randomized trials. Adherence is shaped by a complex interplay of behavioural, social, clinical, and system-level factors, making simple solutions inadequate. This paper outlines the current state of play and highlights three key opportunities to advance the field: optimizing the design and tailoring of behaviour change interventions, routinely measuring adherence in clinical care, and adopting health system-level approaches to support sustained adherence. Addressing these areas could improve outcomes, reduce costs, and enhance the integration of evidence-based adherence supports into routine practice. Meaningful progress will require ongoing innovation and collaboration across disciplines, with health psychology playing a leading role.