What factor may negatively impact the effectiveness of medicines?

The effectiveness of medicines can be significantly compromised by a lack of health literacy among patients. Health literacy refers to the ability of individuals to access, understand, evaluate, and apply health-related information. When patients lack this skill, they may struggle to comprehend medication instructions, follow dosing regimens properly, recognize potential side effects, or understand the importance of adherence to therapy.

Consequently, patients with low health literacy are more likely to mismanage their medications, leading to reduced therapeutic outcomes, increased risks of adverse drug reactions, and overall dissatisfaction with treatment. This factor underscores the importance of educating patients about their medications to empower them in managing their health effectively.

Other factors like high demand, poor autonomy of pharmacists, or the availability of alternatives also influence medication effectiveness but do so in different contexts, such as supply chain issues or pharmacist-patient interaction dynamics, which are generally less directly connected to the patient’s personal understanding and management of their medications.