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Compliance vs Adherence - What's the difference?

compliance | adherence |

In medicine terms the difference between compliance and adherence

is that compliance is the accuracy with which a patient follows an agreed treatment plan while adherence is an extent to which a patient continues an agreed treatment plan.

As nouns the difference between compliance and adherence

is that compliance is an act of complying while adherence is a close physical union of two objects.

compliance

English

Noun

  • An act of complying.
  • (uncountable) The state of being compliant.
  • (uncountable) The tendency of conforming with or agreeing to the wishes of others.
  • A measure of the extension or displacement of a loaded structure; its flexibility
  • (medicine) The accuracy with which a patient follows an agreed treatment plan
  • (uncountable, business) the department of a business that ensures all government regulations are complied with

    • Antonyms

    *(act of complying) violation

    adherence

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (archaic)

    Noun

  • A close physical union of two objects.
  • Faithful support for some cause.
  • (medicine) An extent to which a patient continues an agreed treatment plan.

    • See also

    * compliance