Professor Madelynne Arden, Sheffield Hallam University

Title: "It is unclear why adherence is so low if the condition is so unpleasant and life threatening": What health psychology can do to help people improve their adherence to medication.

Abstract:  Non-adherence to medication in long-term conditions is a world-wide problem with estimates that only around half of treatments are taken as prescribed. Non-adherence compromises treatment effectiveness and has considerable negative effects in terms on quality of life and costs for health services. Interventions to increase adherence have shown limited success. This keynote lecture will consider the ways in health psychology can help us to better understand the factors affecting non-adherence.  The lecture will consider how new technologies have impacted on our measurement of adherence and how this, combined with insights from health psychology, aids the development of interventions that  meet the varied needs of people with different barriers to adherence. One specific focus will be on the importance of habit formation for the long-term maintenance of adherence. Professor Maddy Arden will additionally reflect on the role of health psychology in addressing the practicalities of delivering interventions in trials; implementing interventions in practice; and issues of intervention reach.