AARDA Creates Public Service Campaign for AD Patients
- By BSTQ Staff
In response to a recent study that found roughly one-third of prescriptions for autoimmune disease (AD) patients go unfilled and a high level of physician mistrust exists among AD patients, the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA) has created a new multimedia public service campaign with tools designed to help patients make informed decisions about newly prescribed therapies and treatments.
“The 3-Second Adherence” campaign includes three components. The first is a free patient brochure with an innovative, newly developed prescription “Decision-Making Tree” that helps guide patients through the risk/benefit evaluation process. The second is a physician handbook with advice about how to get patients to comply or adhere to their course of treatment. And, the third component, designed for both doctors and patients, is an online video that demonstrates that when doctors take an extra three seconds to explain to patients why specific medicines are being prescribed for them, patient adherence increases dramatically.
Approximately 50 million Americans live with ADs, 75 percent of whom are women. AD is one of the top-10 leading causes of death of women under the age of 65. It encompasses more than 100 diseases, including psoriasis, Graves’ disease, Sjogren’s syndrome, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease and lupus. And, it is responsible for more than $100 billion in direct healthcare costs annually.
“Most autoimmune diseases are chronic, and managing them on a day-to-day basis can be overwhelming, especially when patients have multiple diseases, which is often the case with ADs,” said AARDA Executive Director Virginia T. Ladd, explaining that the study found that 30 percent of prescriptions are never filled and only 35 percent of newly diagnosed patients rely solely on their physician’s advice when it comes to taking medication.
