Barriers to Medication Adherence in Homeless Populations in Phoenix, AZ.

Abstract

Medication adherence describes the degree to which patients take medications as prescribed. Adhering to medication is a complex issue that has a significant impact on individual patients as well as on the effectiveness and financial burden of the health care system. Several factors emerge as common barriers to medication adherence in the general population including homelessness and its associated risk factors: low functional health literacy, psychiatric conditions, financial hardship, and transient lifestyle. Little research exists exploring what specific barriers prevent medication adherence in the United States homeless population and how these can be addressed. This descriptive retrospective study seeks to answer which, if any, specific barriers exist as obstacles to medication adherence within the Phoenix area homeless population >=18 years of age. Data was collected via retrospective chart review from the web-based EMR, Practice Fusion, at the interdisciplinary Student Health Outreach for Wellness (SHOW) Clinic which included health literacy and medication adherence surveys administered by staff during patient triage.