The Danger Of Poor Communication In Medicine

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- In medicine, we call it non-compliance. That's just another big medical word that gets in the way of communicating information.

A landmark medical study has found that the lack of communication may lead to non-compliance. Far too many patients stop taking their medicine sooner than they have to, and that can be bad.

For people with serious conditions like diabetes and heart disease, it isn't just bad, it can be a killer.

A study of more than 1,500 people found that it only took one month after leaving the hospital for one out of eight heart attack patients to quit the life-saving drugs prescribed to them.

The major reasons for quitting? Poor communication.

Other leading concerns are financial issues and not placing enough importance on taking the medications.