Lack of adherence to medical aid is a critical public health challenge
November 24, 2022 2023-12-01 22:40Lack of adherence to medical aid is a critical public health challenge
Lack of adherence to medical aid is a critical public health challenge
The Indian pharmaceutical industry is experiencing meteoric growth. Despite this rise, there is a lack of medical aid and medication adherence. There are several contributing factors for the same. Some of the common factors include forgetfulness, incomplete knowledge about the medication, lack of medical facilities, lack of accessibility to medicines and hospitals, and lack of understanding of treatment and disease.
Many individuals suffer from critical illness and lifestyle diseases like blood pressure, diabetes, and others. Adhering to complete medical guidelines is paramount for every individual suffering from these diseases. However, sometimes people tend to forget or ignore medication. This can harm the life of the individual. Hence, it is important to adhere to medical guidelines and prescriptions. An important question that arises here is what is causing this lack of medical adherence. In the next section of this article, we have discussed a few pointers on the same.
Top 5 reasons for lack of medical adherence
- Lack of understanding of the importance of taking medication as prescribed
One of the first and primary reasons people fail to adhere to medical aid or facility is their lack of understanding of the significance of medication. As per the Indian Journal of Psychiatry, a lack of understanding of the importance of medication is one of the primary problems in India. As per the survey, only 30% of the respondents said they take their medication as prescribed, 43% said they sometimes follow the guidelines, while 27% never did. This clearly shows that a major section of the population tends to ignore or undermine the importance of medication adherence. - Lack of knowledge about the medication
Lack of knowledge is another reason people adopt a lackadaisical attitude toward medical aid. It is estimated that around 5% of the population in India knows about the medication, while the rest, 95% are unaware. This lack of medical knowledge is one of the primary reasons people tend to undermine the importance of medication.Apart from the lack of knowledge about the medication, the lack of information about the disease is also a contributing factor. Generating awareness is the only way to help people adopt the right medical practices. - Fear of side effects
Medication does have side effects, but with the doctor’s advice and following the right prescription, one can easily overcome the same. Hence, an individual must discuss their medical history with the doctors. Despite this, many people fear side effects and stop taking medication or medical aid. - Cost of medication
Although India is witnessing a rise in the pharma sector and we are exporting medicines globally, the harsh reality is that cost of medication is high in India. Many people are still unable to avail of medical assistance and medication. According to a recent study, around 60% of people say they would not seek medical help if they could not afford medication. Besides, many also confirmed that if the prescribed medication is higher in cost, they might skip it. This is particularly true for individuals who fall below the poverty line. The cost of medication is a major barrier to seeking medical assistance in India. - The inconvenience of taking medication
As per WHO, there is a shortage of nearly 20 lakh health workers in India. This is because of critical rural and underserved areas with limited access to medical care and facility. In addition, a significant section of medical facilities in India is privately held and hence is out of reach for many. Hence many people or unable to access this medical care facility.
In India, most of the population does not have access to quality healthcare. This lack of access to quality medical care means many people do not seek medical assistance when needed. This can lead to serious health problems and, in some cases, death.
The way out
While the picture may appear gloomy, it is not only the darker side that we must focus on; one has to adopt a solution-oriented approach. “Since Jindal medical store has been rendering outstanding services in the pharma sector since 1968, we believe that generating awareness is the first step to introducing the importance of medication. Most people in India, especially those below the poverty line, are educated and illiterate. Hence it becomes important to generate awareness in this section,” quotes Mr. Kapil Jindal, director of Jindal Medical Store.
With regular health programs and the assistance of NGOs and government hospitals, one can set up medical camps in rural areas and highlight the importance of medication and medical assistance at the right time. Besides, reducing the cost of medicines and making them available to all is also important. A rigorous supply chain management system will ensure the same. Jindal Medical Store has the best supply chain system, helping in reaching out to a maximum number of places in India and globally. The company aims to implement a similar strategy in the future that can make medical assistance and medication easily accessible to all.