Objective: To investigate the effect of improving the subjective factors on medication adherence of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

Methods: Thirty patients with AD who met the criteria of case selection from December 2014 to October 2017 were prospectively enrolled. One of them dropped out during the study period, and the remaining 29 patients completed the 9-month study. The measures to improve the subjective factors related to medication adherence included publicizing and educating patients, increasing the number of interviews and telephone visits, establishing patient files; the pharmacist was responsible for drug distribution and take-back; improving the attention and cooperation of caregivers on medication adherence, recording medication cards and supervising medication. The medication adherence was calculated by pill counts. The average medication adherence of the study was compared with those reported in literatures from United States, Netherlands, Australia, India, South Korea and Taiwan of China, as well as the standard good (80%) and excellent (90%) medication adherence.

Results: In this study, the average medication adherence rate was 92.3% ± 13.9%, and the good and excellent medication adherence rates were 88.9% and 79.5%, respectively in the study period of 9 months; the average medication adherence rate was 92.1% ± 13.2%, and the good and excellent rates were 84.6% and 80.8%, respectively at the end of the 9th month. The average medication adherence rate in the study period of 9 months was significantly higher than those reported in other literatures (P < 0.001). The average medication adherence rate at the end of the 9th month was also higher than those reported in other literatures except Taiwan of China (P < 0.001). The medication compliance rate was significantly higher than the standard good medication adherence (P < 0.001), but had no significant difference as compared with the standard excellent medication adherence (P > 0.05).

Conclusion: The medication adherence of patients can be enhanced by improving the subjective factors of healthcare providers and caregivers.