Improving Medication Adherence Programs with Behavioral Science

Medication nonadherence is a significant global problem that results in higher mortality and healthcare costs. There has been a recent increase in digital health companies that aim to facilitate behavior change to encourage and promote healthy behaviors, with medication adherence being a key focus for many. This paper identifies several behavioral drivers associated with medication nonadherence and identifies key components in program design where behavioral science should be considered in order to make a strong lasting impact. This paper also presents a framework for incorporating behavioral science concepts in health program design and outlines a methodology for testing and validating results. I also explore a case study identifying a digital health program that has successfully utilized behavioral science to improve program design and increase the desired behavior. The purpose of this paper is to provide a low-cost framework for incorporating behavioral science into medication adherence program design to increase efficacy in behavior change and ultimately improve individual quality of life and lower overall societal healthcare costs.