OBJECTIVES Patient adherence is important for successful treatment in chronic conditions, including  inflammation and immunology (I&I) diseases, to improve patient outcomes. Programs and interventions that aim at improving medication adherence play an essential role in optimizing care. This review and meta-analysis assessed the effectiveness of different types of adherence programs in I&I. METHODS A global systematic literature search was conducted and studies were identified from PubMed, conference proceedings, and grey literature. Selection criteria included studies of patient programs in I&I diseases published in English language between January 2008 and September 2013 that reported % of adherent patients. A meta-analysis was performed using a random effects model. Weights, odds ratios, 95% CI, and forest plots were developed for behavioral, informational, and combination interventions.   RESULTS Of 29 studies screened, a total of 13 studies were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Seven studies were in patients with osteoporosis, 4 in ulcerative colitis, 1 in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus, and 1 in rheumatoid arthritis / psoriasis. Overall, patient programs increased adherence (OR = 2.48, 95% CI = 1.68 - 3.64, P < 0.00001) as compared to standard of care or no intervention. Combination interventions that used both informational and behavioral strategies were superior in increasing adherence (OR = 3.68, 95% CI = 2.20 - 6.16, P < 0.00001) compared to interventions using solely a behavioral strategy (OR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.00 - 3.45, P = 0.05) or only an informational strategy (OR = 2.16, 95% CI = 1.36 - 3.44, P = 0.001).  CONCLUSIONS Patient programs and interventions can significantly improve adherence in I&I diseases as compared to standard of care or no intervention. Programs employing a multimodal approach are more effective in improving adherence than either informational or behavioral strategies alone. This in turn may improve patient outcomes.