A patient may be averse to taking pills by mouth.
Criteria for pill aversion - all of the following:
(1) difficulty swallowing pills
(2) no persistent medical or structural cause (i.e., not due to dysphagia or stricture)
(3) presence of anxiety and/or physical symptoms associate with pill swallowing
Risk factors:
(1) high pill burden
(2) negative attitude and anxiety about the disease requiring the medication
(3) adverse side effect ascribed to medication
Consequences:
(1) greater risk of noncompliance
(2) associated distress
