The nurse case manager is concerned about a particular client being discharged from the hospital. Which of the following factors, if present for this client, would alert the nurse to possible problems with treatment adherence?

Question

1. The prescribed therapy is costly and of unknown duration.
2. The therapy will require no lifestyle changes of the client.
3. The client has not had difficulty understanding the regimen.
4. The client's culture is supportive of Western medicine.

Answer 1

Correct Answer: 1
Rationale: Adherence to a particular therapy can be compromised if the therapy is expensive or if the complexity, side effects, and duration of the proposed therapy are large. Other factors influencing adherence include client motivation to become well; degree of lifestyle change necessary; perceived severity of the health care problem; value placed on reducing the threat of illness; difficulty in understanding and performing basic behaviors; degree of inconvenience of the illness itself or of the regimen; beliefs that the prescribed therapy or regimen will or will not help; complexity, side effects, and duration of the proposed therapy; specific cultural heritage that may make adherence difficult; and degree of satisfaction with the quality and type of relationship with the health care providers.