Practise selecting pill counts, electronic monitoring, biological tests or self-reports and evaluating whether each measure validly records medication adherence.
Explain what is meant by an 'objective measure of adherence', in relation to medical advice. Include a biological measure as an example.
Syllabus 3.2.2
- objective measures focusing on pill counting and medication dispensers, including a study, e.g. Chung and Naya (2000).
- biological measures including blood and urine samples.
Award 1 mark explanation.
Award 1 mark for example.
Answers may include:
- objective is fact, a measure that cannot be disputed (1)
- for example, if a drug is detected in blood or urine then it is an objective fact (+1)
Other appropriate responses to be credited.
Suggest how adherence can be measured objectively, other than using a biological measure.
Suggest how adherence can be measured objectively, other than using a biological measure.
Award 2 marks for an appropriate suggestion stated and applied to study with detail / elaboration / example.
Award 1 mark for an appropriate suggestion identified but not applied.
Answers may include:
- pill counting (Chung and Naya, 2000) (1) (e.g. Chung and Naya, 2000) used trackcap to record the number of pills (assumed to have been taken) (2)
- repeat prescriptions (1) (e.g. Sherman et al., 2000) obtaining repeat prescriptions and analysing without patients' knowledge. Assumption is that if prescription repeated the original must have been used (2).
Other appropriate responses to be credited.
Explain two weaknesses of using biological measures of adherence to medical advice.
Explain two weaknesses of using biological measures of adherence to medical advice.
Up to 2 marks for each weakness ×2.
Award 2 marks for an appropriate weakness stated and applied as required by the question with detail / elaboration / example.
Award 1 mark for an appropriate weakness stated but not applied.
Answers may include:
- Data needs to be collected and this may be invasive for the participant (1) such as collecting blood (2).
- Data collection may be embarrassing for the participant (1) such as giving a urine sample or spitting into a salivette (2).
- A participant may not give informed consent to the data collection method (1) so biological data is not collected about adherence (2).
Other appropriate responses to be credited.