From the Research
The Traverse study's findings should be interpreted with caution, as they may be due to chance, and replication is necessary to evaluate their validity. When considering the incorporation of new findings from the Traverse study into clinical practice, it is essential to prioritize morbidity, mortality, and quality of life as the primary outcomes.
- The study's results should be viewed in the context of the current evidence base, and clinicians should consider the potential benefits and harms of any new interventions or treatments.
- As noted in the study published in the Journal Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.) 1, replication remains the most important way to evaluate new findings, and the application of statistical probability can help identify false-positive findings.
- However, the problems of confounding and measurement error are significant concerns in epidemiology, and these issues should be carefully considered when interpreting the results of the Traverse study.
- The Cochrane review on interventions for improving medication adherence 2 highlights the importance of behavioral and educational interventions in improving medication-taking ability and adherence, but the quality of evidence is generally low due to heterogeneity and methodological limitations.
- Another Cochrane review on interventions for enhancing medication adherence 3 found that current methods of improving medication adherence are mostly complex and not very effective, and that the research in this field needs advances, including improved design of feasible long-term interventions and objective adherence measures.
- A review published in JAMA 4 identified six categories of interventions to improve medication adherence, including patient education, medication regimen management, clinical pharmacist consultation, cognitive behavioral therapies, medication-taking reminders, and incentives to promote adherence.
- The choice of intervention to promote adherence will depend on feasibility and availability within a practice or health system, and successful interventions that are also clinically practical include using combination pills to reduce daily pill burden, clinical pharmacist consultation for disease co-management, and medication-taking reminders such as telephone calls to prompt refills.
- Ultimately, clinicians should approach the incorporation of new findings from the Traverse study into clinical practice with a critical and nuanced perspective, considering the potential benefits and harms of any new interventions or treatments, as well as the quality of the evidence and the potential for bias and confounding.