Inadequate adherence to long-term therapies significantly affects the course and outcome
of the disease, and therefore poses a serious threat to both the effectiveness and
success of treatment and the long-term well-being of patients. Therapeutic adherence
is an extremely complex process, with a number of risk and protective factors identified,
many of which underlie the psychological characteristics of the patient. A number
of medication adherence models have been developed to take into account the psychological
characteristics of patients, and recent research has examined the relationship between
different personality models and adherence to therapeutic recommendations. In this
review we aim to summarize current knowledge, adherence models, research findings
on the relationship between personality and adherence, including implications for
future research.
