One-year follow-up of medication management capacity in highly functioning older adults

The contribution of functional cognition screening during acute illness hospitalization of older adults in predicting participation in daily life after discharge

Background

Cognitive assessment in acutely hospitalized older adults is mainly limited to neuropsychological screening measures of global cognition. Performance-based assessments of functional cognition better indicate functioning in real-life situations. However, their predictive validity has been less studied in acute hospital settings. The aim of this study was to explore the unique contribution of functional cognition screening during acute illness hospitalization in predicting participation of older adults one and three months after discharge beyond traditional neuropsychological measures.

Methods

This prospective longitudinal study included 84 older adults ≥ 65 years hospitalized in internal medicine wards due to acute illness, followed by home visits at one month and telephone interviews at three months (n = 77). Participation in instrumental activities of daily living, social and leisure activities was measured by the Activity Card Sort. In-hospital factors included cognitive status (telephone version of the Mini-Mental State Examination, Color Trails Test), functional cognition screening (medication sorting task from the alternative Executive Function Performance Test), emotional status (Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale), functional decline during hospitalization (modified Barthel index), length of hospital stay, the severity of the acute illness, symptoms severity and comorbidities.

Results

Functional cognition outperformed the neuropsychological measures in predicting participation declines in a sample of relatively high-functioning older adults. According to a hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis, the overall model explained 28.4% of the variance in participation after one month and 19.5% after three months. Age and gender explained 18.6% of the variance after one month and 13.5% after three months. The medication sorting task explained an additional 5.5% of the variance of participation after one month and 5.1% after three months, beyond age and gender. Length of stay and the Color Trails Test were not significant contributors to the change in participation.

Conclusions

By incorporating functional cognition into acute settings, healthcare professionals would be able to better detect older adults with mild executive dysfunctions who are at risk for participation declines. Early identification of executive dysfunctions can improve continuity of care and planning of tailored post-discharge rehabilitation services, especially for high-functioning older adults, a mostly overlooked population in acute settings. The results support the use of functional cognition screening measure of medication management ability in acute settings.

Key factors of the functional ability of older people to self-manage medications

Daily medication use can be affected by the gradual loss of functional ability. Thus, elderly patients are at risk for nonadherence due to functional decline, namely, decreases in cognitive skills and visual and manual dexterity. The main objective was to assess the ability of older people to self-manage their medication and to identify the main predictors for unintentional nonadherence. A cross-sectional study was conducted (2014-2017) in community centers and pharmacies. Functional assessment was performed with the Portuguese versions of the Drug Regimen Unassisted Grading Scale (DRUGS-PT) and the Self-Medication Assessment Tool (SMAT-PT). A purposive sample including 207 elderly patients was obtained. To identify the main predictors, binary logistic regression was performed. The average DRUGS-PT score was slightly lower than that in other studies. On the SMAT-PT, the greatest challenge for patients was identifying medications by reading labels/prescriptions. The main difficulties identified were medication memorization and correct schedule identification. The scores were higher with the real regimen than with the simulated regimen, underlining the difficulties for patients in receiving new information. Regarding the predictors of an older individual's ability to self-manage medications, two explanatory models were obtained, with very high areas under the curve (> 90%). The main predictors identified were cognitive ability, level of schooling and daily medication consumption.

Measuring Medication Self-Management Capacity: A Scoping Review of Available Instruments

BACKGROUND

Managing a medication regimen is a complex self-care activity that requires a high level of integration and coordination between cognitive and physical skills. This scoping review aims to identify available instruments designed to assess an adult individual's ability to manage a medication regimen independently and to identify reliable and valid tools to be used in clinical practice and research.

METHODS

Five databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL Complete, PsycINFO, Embase, and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts) were searched to identify articles reporting the development of an instrument to assess medication self-management capacity in adults. The process included a broad initial search of the databases, followed by screening of titles and abstracts, and full review of relevant articles. For each instrument identified, characteristics, including validity and reliability assessments, were summarized.

RESULTS

Sixteen papers were identified that reviewed or described the development and/or validation of 26 instruments designed to assess medication self-management capacity. Most instruments were designed to identify cognitive and physical barriers to successful medication management, but there was inconsistency across instruments in the specific skills assessed and the assessment method used. Most instruments were validated by testing at least one related construct, such as cognitive function, activities of daily living or instrumental activities of daily living performance, or medication adherence.

CONCLUSION

Development of standardized instruments to quantify medication self-management capacity is still growing. The choice of instrument for use in a specific clinical or research setting will depend on the purpose for making the assessment and the population that it will be applied to. Results of this review can assist in selecting an appropriate instrument or guiding the development of new instruments for assessment of medication self-management capacity for specific clinical or research purposes.

A New Method of Identifying Characteristics of Needing Help to Take Medications in an Older Representative Community-Dwelling Population: The Older Adults Medication Assist Scale

OBJECTIVES

To determine the sociodemographic characteristics, health conditions, and cognitive and functional status associated with baseline prevalence and new need for help taking medication 3 years later and to construct a brief scale indicative of need for help taking medications.

DESIGN

Retrospective cross-sectional and 3-year longitudinal study.

SETTING

Five-county area in north-central Piedmont, North Carolina.

PARTICIPANTS

Representative community-dwelling sample of black and white individuals aged 65 and older (N = 4,136).

MEASUREMENTS

Information was obtained in person in participants' homes using structured questionnaires. Health conditions included sensory impairment and self-report of physician-diagnosed conditions. Cognitive status was assessed using the 10-item Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire. Functional status was assessed using the three-item Rosow-Breslau scale, the five-item Katz activity of daily living scale, and a modified six-item Older Americans Resources and Services instrumental activities of daily living scale.

RESULTS

Characteristics associated with need for help taking medications were aged 80 and older, being male, living with others, having four or more chronic conditions, and impaired cognitive or functional status (c-statistic 0.94, 77.1% sensitivity, 87.9% specificity). Predictors of new need for help with medications 3 years later included aged 75 and older at baseline, being male, and impaired cognitive and functional status (c-statistic 0.75).

CONCLUSION

This brief scale can help identify persons needing help with medications and could be useful in assisting clinicians with medication management.

Assessment of the elderly's functional ability to manage their medication: a systematic literature review

Background The evaluation of the elderly's ability to manage medication through the use of a validated tool can be a significant step in identifying inabilities and needs, with the objective of increasing their self-care skills, and promoting successful aging. Aim of the review To identify studies assessing the elderly's functional ability to manage their own medication. Method For the search strategy, the PICO method was used: P-Population (elderly), I-Instruments (tools for assessing medication management ability), C-Context (community) and O-Outcomes (functional ability to manage medication). The final search query was run in MEDLINE/PubMed, CINAHL Plus, ISI Web of Science and Scopus. The whole process was developed according to the PRISMA statement. Results The search retrieved 8051 records. In each screening stage, the selection criteria were applied to eliminate records where at least one of the exclusion criteria was verified. At the end of this selection, we obtained a total of 18 papers (17 studies). The results allow the conclusion to be drawn that studies use several different instruments, most of them not validated. The authors agree that medication management abilities decrease as cognitive impairment increases, even if a lot of studies assess only the physical dimension. DRUGS was the instrument most often used. Conclusion Older adults' ability to manage their medication should be assessed using tools specifically built and validate for the purpose. DRUGS (which uses the real regimen taken by the elderly) was the most widely used assessment instrument in the screened studies.

Beliefs about antidepressant medication and associated adherence among older Chinese patients with major depression: A cross-sectional survey

Antidepressant non-adherence among people with depressive disorder is a major, ongoing public health issue, yet few studies have focused on older adults and their medication adherence. Although treatment adherence is determined by multiple factors, one of the important and modifiable predictors are patients' attitudes and beliefs about medication. We explored a sample of 135 older Chinese people with major depression, and the relationship between beliefs about antidepressants and medication adherence. Sociodemographic and illness variables were also examined. In all, high antidepressant adherence was reported in 37.8%, moderate adherence in 39.2%, and low adherence in 23%. Ordinal regression analysis showed perceived necessity (P < 0.01) and concern (P < 0.01) about antidepressants were significant influencing factors. Other variables with a positive association with higher adherence were lower average income (P < 0.05), fewer number of prior episodes of depression (P < 0.01), and comorbid anxiety (P < 0.05). The present study highlights low adherence in a sample of older depressed Chinese people, and highlights how beliefs about medication affect adherence. Therefore, more attention should be focused on non-adherence in older patients, and there is a need to establish accessible and systematic education programmes to correct misconceptions to improve their adherence.

Medication management capacity in relation to cognition and self-management skills in older people on polypharmacy

OBJECTIVE

To determine the medication management capacity of independently living older people (≥75 years) on polypharmacy (≥ 5 medications) in relation to their cognitive- and self-management skills.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Two homecare organizations in the Netherlands.

PARTICIPANTS

Homecare clients aged 75 and older on polypharmacy (N=95).

MEASUREMENTS

The primary outcome measure was medication management capacity, quantified as the number of 'yes' answers (range = 0-17) on the Medication Management Capacity (MMC) questionnaire. Other measures included self-management ability (assessed with the SMAS30) and cognitive skills (assessed with the clock drawing test).

RESULTS

Overall, 48.4% (n= 46) of the participants were able to manage their medication by themselves at home. About 40% of the participants were unable to state the names of their medications, even with the aid of a medication list, and about 25% reported having problems with opening medication packages. Correlations were found between self-management ability (Rs = 0.473; p < 0.001), cognitive skills (Rs = 0.372; p < 0.001), and age (Rs = 0.216; p < 0.005) and Medication Management Capacity score. Self-management ability and medication management support were significantly associated with medication management capacity.

CONCLUSION

A considerable proportion of independently living older people who receive home care and regularly use five or more medications lack the knowledge and skills needed to independently manage their own medications. Cognition and self management ability were related to medication management capacity. Self-management ability and medication management support were predictors of medication management capacity.

Symptoms of Early Dementia-11 Questionnaire (SED-11Q): A Brief Informant-Operated Screening for Dementia

The aim of this study was to develop a brief informant-based questionnaire, namely the Symptoms of Early Dementia-11 Questionnaire (SED-11Q), for the screening of early dementia. 459 elderly individuals participated, including 39 with mild cognitive impairment in the Clinical Dementia Rating scale (CDR) 0.5, 233 with mild dementia in CDR 1, 106 with moderate dementia in CDR 2, and 81 normal controls in CDR 0. Informants were required to fill out a 13-item questionnaire. Two items were excluded after analyzing sensitivities and specificities. The final version of the SED-11Q assesses memory, daily functioning, social communication, and personality changes. Receiver operator characteristic curves assessed the utility to discriminate between CDR 0 (no dementia) and CDR 1 (mild dementia). The statistically optimal cutoff value of 2/3, which indicated a sensitivity of 0.84 and a specificity of 0.90, can be applied in the clinical setting. In the community setting, a cutoff value of 3/4, which indicated a sensitivity of 0.76 and a specificity of 0.96, is recommended to avoid false positives. The SED-11Q reliably differentiated nondemented from demented individuals when completed by an informant, and thus is practical as a rapid screening tool in general practice, as well as in the community setting, to decide whether to seek further diagnostic confirmation.

Acceptability and face validity of a geriatric self-medication assessment tool

BACKGROUND

A majority of community-dwelling older adults manage their own medication regimens. This study describes the development and first phase of testing of the Self-Medication Assessment Tool (SMAT), designed to screen for cognitive and functional deficits in relation to medication self-management among community-dwelling geriatric patients.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the face validity of the SMAT and to determine its acceptability among pharmacists.

METHODS

An instrument was designed, with 5 assessment scales to measure function, cognition, medication recall, and 2 aspects of adherence. The instrument included a standardized test kit and instructions for testers. Focus groups interviews, individual interviews, and surveys were used to determine the reactions of community and hospital-based pharmacists to the tool. Transcripts of the focus group and individual interviews were coded for main themes. Pharmacists' ratings of usefulness, thoroughness, and ease of use, as well as their willingness to use the instrument, were compared with a neutral rating on a 7-point scale by means of 1-sample t tests.

RESULTS

Focus group interviews or individual interviews were conducted with 17 pharmacists and 3 pharmacy students (out of a potential population of about 300) who responded to an invitation to participate. The pharmacists felt that the tool would be useful in identifying difficulties with medication management and potential interventions, and they expressed a willingness to use it in their respective practices. Pharmacists working in hospital settings were slightly more willing than community pharmacists to use the tool. Interviewees highlighted ways to improve the tool before testing of its psychometric properties in the planned second phase of this project.

CONCLUSIONS

The SMAT had strong face validity and was particularly acceptable for use by pharmacists in hospital settings.

Psychometric evaluation of a self-medication assessment tool in an elderly population

BACKGROUND

Most community-dwelling older adults are engaged in medication self-management activities. Deviation in these activities can lead to adverse outcomes for patients and an increased burden on the health care system. Successful medication self-management involves a complex interaction among cognitive, functional, and psychosocial variables. Several assessment instruments have been developed, but there remains a need for an effective and comprehensive tool.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the psychometric properties (inter-rater reliability, test-retest reliability, and validity), as well as the usability, of the Self-Medication Assessment Tool (SMAT), an instrument designed to measure elderly patients' ability to manage their medications.

METHODS

The study enrolled patients 65 years of age or older who were living independently and were admitted to family medicine beds in a community hospital in eastern Canada. Three subsamples of the population were identified. The inter-rater reliability group was videotaped and scored independently by 2 pharmacists. The test-retest reliability group was tested with the SMAT and was retested with the same tool a week later. The usability group was interviewed after using the SMAT to determine their satisfaction. Standard neuropsychological measures (Cognitive Competency Test, clock-drawing test, and Mini Mental State Examination [MMSE]) were used to determine convergent and divergent validity. Pill counts, refill rates, and use of adherence aids or reminders before study enrolment were used as measures of concurrent validity.

RESULTS

A total of 121 patients (mean age 81.5 years) were enrolled. The scales of the SMAT were determined to have good internal consistency and high inter-rater and test-retest reliability. Convergent validity was evidenced by the high positive correlation between the functional scale of the SMAT and the results of the clock-drawing and Cognitive Competency tests (p < 0.01) and between the cognitive and recall scales of the SMAT and the results of the clock-drawing test (p < 0.05), the MMSE (p < 0.01), and the Cognitive Competency Test (p < 0.01). Patients reported being highly satisfied with their experience.

CONCLUSION

The SMAT is a practical, reliable, comprehensive instrument with demonstrated convergent validity, strong patient acceptability, and various internally consistent scales that assess multiple dimensions of elderly patients' ability to self-manage their medications. Further testing is required to show that the SMAT correlates with medication adherence.

Predictors of adherence to medication in older Korean patients with hypertension

BACKGROUND AND RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

Adherence to a medication regimen is a major factor in achieving adequate blood pressure control for hypertensive patients. However, older adults often report having missed doses, which they attribute to forgetfulness. The purpose of this study was to identify significant factors, including socioeconomic variables, hypertension history, and cognitive functions, contributing to medication adherence among older Korean adults with hypertension.

SUBJECTS AND METHOD

This study involved 241 older patients with hypertension from a community senior center during the period from 2008 to 2009. Data were collected through face to face interviews. The association of medication adherence with socioeconomic characteristics, hypertension-related history, knowledge, antihypertensive lifestyle, and memory was assessed by computing odds ratios in logistic regressions.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

Of the 241 patients, 44% were aged 75 or older, and 60% were male. The rate of non-adherence with antihypertensive medication was 41%. Metamemory, adherence to an antihypertensive lifestyle, and employment status, were associated with participants' adherence to antihypertensive medication in both univariate and multivariate analyses. Results suggest that memory functions are a key factor to medication adherence among the Korean elderly population. In contrast to younger adults, unintentional non-adherence appears to be a major issue for older adults to keep medicating. Interventions focusing on memory ability, such as strategies for recalling and placing cues, are needed for implementation in the population of older Korean patients with hypertension. Unemployed older people who have hypertensive lifestyles should also be considered a high-risk group for non-adherence to medication.

Impact of a self-administration of medications programme on elderly inpatients' competence to manage medications: a pilot study

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVES

Changes to medication regimens and failure to involve patients in management of their medications whilst in hospital may result in medication errors or non-adherence at home after discharge. Self-administration of medications programmes (SAMP) have been used to address this issue. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of a SAMP on elderly hospital inpatients' competence to manage medications and their medication adherence behaviours.

METHODS

The SAMP comprised three stages: education, progressing to supervised self-administration and finally to independent self-administration. Decisions to progress patients to the next level, and whether they passed or failed the SAMP, were made by the ward pharmacist and nursing staff. The Drug Regimen Unassisted Grading Scale (DRUGS) was used to assess patients' competence to manage medications at various time points. Tablet count and the Tool for Adherence Behaviour Screening (TABS) were used as adherence measures.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Participants (n = 24) with a mean age of 77.4 years, were mainly female and generally had a high level of functioning. They were prescribed a mean of 9.0 medications at the time of commencing the SAMP. Twenty-two of the 24 participants successfully completed the SAMP. DRUGS scores at discharge improved significantly (P<0.001) compared with that before commencement of medication self-administration. Participants reported a significant decrease (P = 0.02) in non-adherent behaviour and a trend towards improved adherent behaviour (P=0.08) after participation in the SAMP.

WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION

An inpatient SAMP improved elderly patients' ability to competently manage and adhere to their prescribed medications regimen. This finding needs to be confirmed in a larger controlled trial.

Pilot testing of a medication self-management transition intervention for heart failure patients

This pilot study examined the impact of a hospital transition intervention for older adults (≥ 65 years of age) with heart failure (HF) to promote medication use self-management. Forty subjects, hospitalized with either primary or secondary HF, had a mean age of 76.9 ± 6.5 years; 65% were males. The majority of subjects (55%) had NYHA Class III HF. A prospective, repeated measures experimental design was used. Baseline and follow-up data (1- and 3-months after hospitalization) were obtained using the Medication Regimen Complexity Index, Brief Medication Questionnaire, Drug Regiment Unassisted Grading Scale, and Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire. Using repeated measures analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), with baseline measures as covariates, the transition intervention group had higher levels of medication adherence (F(1,35) = 13.4, p < .001), self-efficacy for HF self-care (F(1,35) = 17.9, p < .001) and had significantly fewer HF related symptoms that impaired health related quality of life (F(1,35) = 9.1, p = .006).

Pharmacist Approach to Geriatrics

Pharmacists have traditionally focused on the appropriate use of medications to enhance the functional status of the elderly patient. However, in the proper provision of pharmaceutical care, the influence of lifestyle factors on the use and misuse of medications cannot be ignored. The pharmacist collaborates with other members of the health care team to ensure that drugs are dosed according to known changes occurring with age such as pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic alterations. Also, medications that may decrease cognitive function, impair gait/balance, or reduce sensory stimulation must be avoided. The appropriate use of medications can improve the functional status and reduce morbidity in the elderly patient, and drug adherence issues should be addressed to ensure that the elderly patient can receive the optimal benefit from his or her medication regimen. Pharmacists, in collaboration with physicians and other health care providers, can help to ensure that a comprehensive approach to patient care occurs, one that involves medications, diet, and exercise as it embraces the mind, body, and spirit.

Poor adherence to medications may be associated with falls

BACKGROUND

Poor medication adherence is associated with negative health outcomes. We investigated whether poor medication adherence increases the rate of falls as part of Maintenance of Balance, Independent Living, Intellect, and Zest in the Elderly of Boston (MOBILIZE Boston), a prospective, community-based cohort recruited for the purpose of studying novel risk factors for falls.

METHODS

A total of 246 men and 408 women (mean age, 78 years) were followed for the occurrence of falls (median follow-up, 1.8 years). Adherence was assessed by the Morisky scale based on the following four questions: whether an individual ever forgets, is careless at times, stops taking medications when feels better, or stops taking medications when feels worse. Low adherence was defined as a "yes" answer to one or more questions. High adherence was defined as a "no" answer to every question.

RESULTS

Forty-eight percent of subjects were classified as having low medication adherence. The rate of falls in the low adherence group was 1.1 falls/person-year (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.0-1.3) compared with 0.7 falls/person-year (95% CI: 0.6-0.8) in the high adherence group. After adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, alcohol use, cognitive measures, functional status, depression, and number of medications, low medication adherence was associated with a 50% increased rate of falls compared with high medication adherence (rate ratio = 1.5, 95% CI: 1.2-1.9; p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Low medication adherence may be associated with an increased rate of falls among older adults. Future studies should confirm this association and explore whether interventions to improve medication adherence might decrease the frequency of falls and other serious health-related outcomes.

Standardised assessment of patients' capacity to manage medications: a systematic review of published instruments

BACKGROUND

Older people are commonly prescribed complex multi-drug regimens while also experiencing declines in the cognitive and physical abilities required for medication management, leading to increased risk of medication errors and need for assisted living. The purpose of this study was to review published instruments designed to assess patients' capacity to self-administer medications.

METHODS

Searches of Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, Health and Psychosocial Instruments, Google, and reference lists of identified publications were conducted to identify English-language articles describing development and validation of instruments designed to assess patients' capacity to self-administer medications. Methodological quality of validation studies was rated independently against published criteria by two reviewers and reliability and validity data were reviewed.

RESULTS

Thirty-two instruments were identified, of which 14 met pre-defined inclusion criteria. Instruments fell into two categories: those that used patients' own medications as the basis for assessment and those that used a simulated medication regimen. The quality of validation studies was generally low to moderate and few instruments were subjected to reliability testing. Most instruments had some evidence of construct validity, through associations with tests of cognitive function, health literacy, activities of daily living or measures of medication management or adherence. Only one instrument had sensitivity and specificity data with respect to prediction of medication-related outcomes such as adherence to therapy. Only three instruments had validity data from more than one independent research group.

CONCLUSION

A number of performance-based instruments exist to assess patients' capacity to manage their own medications. These may be useful for identifying physical and cognitive barriers to successful medication management, but further studies are needed to determine whether they are able to accurately and reliably predict medication outcomes.

Instruments assessing capacity to manage medications

OBJECTIVE

To review literature on instruments available for assessing the physical and cognitive ability to take medications as prescribed, which serve as a way to rule out reasons for nonadherence.

DATA SOURCES

A PubMed search (1950-February 2008) was conducted to identify relevant articles. Additional references were obtained from cross-referencing the bibliographies of selected articles. Only journals containing English-language articles were selected for review.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION

Articles that described a simulated assessment of medication management were obtained, irrespective of whether the assessment also contained data about medication adherence or was focused on older adults.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Fifteen instruments were identified. Six instruments required 5 minutes or less to administer, 5 required 6-30 minutes, and 4 had no administration time data reported. A possible advantage of 3 of the instruments is that they use a subject's own medications and may therefore provide a more authentic assessment. Only 2 instruments have been tested by subjects other than the drug developers and only one has been used in 2 different populations, thereby affording some insight into generalizability. These studies have used a variety of other validated surveys/assessments to provide an indication of construct validity, including neuropsychological batteries, caregiver reports, prospective outcomes, instrumental activities of daily living, and levels of care. One instrument determined whether individuals could tell if refills existed, whom to contact, and resources to obtain medications. Three assessed numeracy literacy.

CONCLUSIONS

Five instruments that measure medication management capacity should be compared for potential further use, including Beckman's tasks, due to their brevity and assessment of numeracy literacy; the Medication Management Ability Assessment, Drug Regimen Unassisted Grading Scale, and Hopkins Medication Schedule because of the evidence supporting their use; and the Medication Management Instrument for Deficiencies in the Elderly because it includes an assessment of the patient's knowledge of how to obtain more medications. No brief tool is available for the primary care setting to identify individuals with medication management problems or to guide the type and amount of support required to manage medications.

Use of pictorial aids in medication instructions: a review of the literature

PURPOSE

The effects of pictorial aids in medication instructions on medication recall, comprehension, and adherence are reviewed.

SUMMARY

Many patients depend on medication labels and patient information leaflets for pertinent drug information, but these materials are often difficult for patients to understand. Research in psychology and marketing indicates that humans have a cognitive preference for picture-based, rather than text-based, information. Studies have shown that pictorial aids improve recall, comprehension, and adherence and are particularly useful for conveying timing of doses, instructions on when to take medicine, and the importance of completing a course of therapy. Other research has compared various techniques for using picture-based information and supports the use of integrative instructions, a combination of textual, oral, and pictorial communication, to promote comprehension and adherence. While pictures have generally proven useful for improving patient comprehension and adherence, not all picture-based interventions have produced successful results. Some icons, particularly clock icons, have been found to be too complex to enhance understanding and could not overcome the advantage provided by the familiarity of the textbased format, suggesting that patients be trained to use pictorial medication information before they are expected to use icons as an aid for medication administration. In addition to enhancing understanding, pictorial aids have been found to improve patients' satisfaction with medication instructions.

CONCLUSION

The use of pictorial aids enhances patients' understanding of how they should take their medications, particularly when pictures are used in combination with written or oral instructions.

Reference Values for the Timed Up and Go Test

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The Timed Up and Go (TUG) test is widely employed in the examination of elders, but definitive normative reference values are lacking. This meta-analysis provided such values by consolidating data from multiple studies.

METHODS

Studies reporting TUG times for apparently healthy elders were identified through the on-line search of bibliographic databases. Study specifics and data were consolidated and examined for homogeneity.

RESULTS

Twenty-one studies were included in the meta-analysis. The mean (95% confidence interval) TUG time for individuals at least 60 years of age was 9.4 (8.9-9.9) seconds. Although the data contributing to this mean were homogeneous, data for individuals who could be categorized by age were more homogeneous. The mean (95% confidence intervals) for 3 age groups were: 8.1 (7.1-9.0) seconds for 60 to 69 year olds, 9.2 (8.2-10.2) seconds for 70 to 79 years, and 11.3 (10.0-12.7) seconds for 80 to 99 years.

CONCLUSIONS

The reference values presented, though obtained from studies with clear differences, provide a standard to which patient performance can be compared. Patients whose performance exceeds the upper limit of reported confidence intervals can be considered to have worse than average performance.

Predictors of medication self-management skill in a low-literacy population

BACKGROUND

Patients' ability to manage medications is critical to chronic disease control. Also known as medication management capacity (MMC), it includes the ability to correctly identify medications and describe how they should be taken.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effects of low literacy, medication regimen complexity, and sociodemographic characteristics on MMC.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional analysis of enrollment data from participants in a randomized trial.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients with coronary heart disease in an inner-city clinic.

MEASUREMENTS

Medication management capacity was measured with the Drug Regimen Unassisted Grading Scale (DRUGS), which scores subjects' ability to identify, open, describe the dose, and describe the timing of their medications. DRUGS overall and component scores were compared by literacy, Mini Mental State Exam score, regimen complexity (number of prescription medications), and sociodemographic characteristics.

RESULTS

Most of the 152 participants were elderly (mean age 65.4 years), women (54.6%), and African American (94.1%). Approximately half (50.7%) had inadequate literacy skills, and 28.9% had marginal skills. In univariate analysis, MMC was significantly associated with literacy (P<.001), and this effect was driven by the ability to identify medications. In multivariable models, patients with inadequate literacy skills had 10 to 18 times the odds of being unable to identify all of their medications, compared with those with adequate literacy skills (P<.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Adults with inadequate literacy skills have less ability to identify their medications. Techniques are needed to better educate low-literacy patients about their medications, as a potential strategy to enhance adherence.

AIDES to improving medication adherence in older adults

Medication regimens for older adults are often complex and costly. Designing, implementing, and maintaining an appropriate treatment regimen is challenging. The AIDES method is built on the principles of completing a comprehensive medication Assessment; partnering with patients to ensure Individualization of the regimen; choosing appropriate Documentation; providing accurate and ongoing Education tailored to the age group and needs of the individual; and continuing Supervision after initiation.

Development and validation of the self-administration of medication tool

BACKGROUND

Consumer participation in planning and implementing health care is actively encouraged as a means of improving patient outcomes. In assessing the ability of patients to self-medicate, health professionals can identify areas in which patients need assistance, education, and intervention to optimize their health outcomes after discharge.

OBJECTIVE

To develop and validate a tool to quantify the ability of patients to administer their regularly scheduled medications while they are hospitalized.

METHODS

Past research enabled us to develop the Self-Administration of Medication (SAM) tool. Using a Delphi technique of 3 rounds, a panel of expert health professionals established the content validity of the tool. For determining level of agreement in using the SAM tool, 56 patients were selected; for each patient, 2 randomly selected nurses completed an assessment. Construct validity and internal consistency were examined by testing the tool in 50 patients and comparing with other validated scales.

RESULTS

The 29-item SAM tool had high content validity scores for clarity, representation, and comprehensiveness, with content validity index values ranging from 0.95-1.0. In testing the level of agreement between 2 nurses, out of 43 valid cases, 95.3% of nurses overwhelmingly agreed about the patients' competence to self-administer their drugs. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.819 (95% CI 0.666 to 0.902). Internal consistency for the SAM tool was high, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.899. A moderate to strong correlation was obtained when comparing the SAM tool with other validated measures.

CONCLUSIONS

The SAM tool is valid and reliable for quantifying patients' ability to manage their regularly scheduled medications in the hospital setting.

Screening Tests for Intended Medication Adherence Among the Elderly

Background:

Medication nonadherence is increasingly recognized as a cause of preventable adverse events, hospitalizations, and poor healthcare outcomes. While comprehensive medication adherence assessment for the elderly is likely to identify and prevent drug-related problems, it is time consuming for patient and healthcare providers alike.

Objective:

To identify screening tools to predict elderly patients' intended medication adherence that are suitable for primary-care settings and community pharmacies.

Methods:

This study evaluated 57 English-speaking persons aged 65 years and older who were from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. Intended adherence was quantified, and the relationships to demographic, medical history, socioeconomic, and literacy variables were determined.

Results:

In a multivariate analysis with the composite MedTake Test (a quantitative measure of each subject's intent to adhere to prescribed oral medications) as the dependent variable, independent predictors of intended adherence included: age, car ownership in the last 10 years, receipt of food assistance in the last 10 years, number of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, and REALM (Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine). The strongest predictor was the REALM word-recognition pronunciation test (β = 0.666; R2 = 0.271; p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

We observed that the REALM word-recognition pronunciation test, along with age, number of OTC drugs, and 2 socioeconomic questions, predicted the intent of seniors to correctly take their own prescribed oral medications.

Initial evaluation of a computer-based medication management tool in a geriatric clinic

BACKGROUND

Optimal management of medication regimens remains a challenge for elderly patients and their providers. Tools that aid communication and adherence can be valuable but often do not meet expectations.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this article was to describe the development and preliminary evaluation of a computer-based medication management tool, the Visual Medication Profile (VMP), and to report initial feedback from geriatric patient and provider focus groups.

METHODS

For VMP development, an interdisciplinary team (ie, physicians, nurses, pharmacists, computer analysts, and programmers) designed the fully automated, Web-based intervention that integrates the Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) computer pharmacy system with the computerized patient record system. In addition to development of the required technology, a mixed methods design and a convenience sample were used to collect pilot data related to patient-provider issues about medication management, and the acceptance, feasibility, and usefulness of the VMP. This involved the use of focus groups and a pilot study group.

RESULTS

First, the interdisciplinary team developed the VMP by integrating data from the pharmacy database, the patient's database, and a pill photograph database. Second, patients and providers in the focus groups discussed medication management issues and evaluated a sample VMP. Patients (n = 8; mean age, 76 years; 5 black, 3 white) noted the following medication management problems: (1) not understanding the information provided by the physician; (2) multiple providers; and (3) unpronounceable names of medications. Providers (n = 8 [4 physicians, 4 nurse practitioners]) noted that patients and providers use different language to discuss medications; that there is a lack of congruence between patients' self-report of current medications and their medical record; and that there are severe time constraints for clinic appointments and concern regarding introducing a new clinical tool. Both groups favored a VMP-like tool to improve communication. In the VMP prototype pilot study, a patient-specific VMP was developed for each of 6 subjects (mean age, 79.7 years; 3 black, 3 white) from the outpatient geriatric clinic. Congruence rates ranged from 51% to 100%. Five of the 6 subjects participated in follow-up. The nurse's telephone log from the pilot study revealed that although 4 out of the 5 subjects and/or caregivers reported that they favored the VMP as a medical management tool, the use of the VMP at home varied considerably.

CONCLUSIONS

The VMP is a promising tool for use by both patients and providers to improve medication management. Although it was developed in the VAMC system, its Web-based platform has the potential for export to other systems.

Medication nonadherence in older people with serious mental illness: prevalence and correlates

Medication nonadherence in people with schizophrenia and other serious mental illnesses (SMI) is multidetermined and has been consistently associated with relapse and rehospitalization, but little is known about the prevalence and correlates of nonadherence in older people with SMI. This study evaluated the interrelationships between different measures of medication adherence (including pill counts, self-report, informant report, and attitudes toward medications), and their associations with demographic characteristics, and clinical, functional, skill, and cognitive measures in a group of 72 older people with SMI living in the community. Pill counts of adherence to psychotropic medications were highly correlated with pill counts for nonpsychiatric medications. However, pill counts were weakly correlated with self-report and informant ratings, which tended to overestimate adherence. Lower medication adherence was associated with: mood disorder (compared to schizophrenia), lack of supervision, fewer prescription medications, less insight, more severe negative symptoms, and worse community functioning. Among individuals with little or no supervision of their medications, higher adherence was related to better performance on the Medication Management Administration Assessment (MMAA) role-play, which was highly correlated with several domains of cognitive functioning, suggesting that the MMAA may be a more ecologically valid measure of cognitive functioning related to medication adherence. This study highlights the importance of using multiple measures for the assessment of medication adherence in older people with SMI, including pill counts, and suggests that interventions are needed to improve adherence in this population.

Assessing medication adherence in the elderly: which tools to use in clinical practice?

Adherence to prescribed medication regimens is difficult for all patients and particularly challenging for the elderly. Medication adherence demands a working relationship between a patient or caregiver and prescriber that values open, honest discussion about medications, i.e. the administration schedule, intended benefits, adverse effects and costs. Although nonadherence to medications may be common among the elderly, fundamental reasons leading to nonadherence vary among patients. Demographic characteristics may help to identify elderly patients who are at risk for nonadherence. Inadequate or marginal health literacy among the elderly is common and warrants assessment. The number of co-morbid conditions and presence of cognitive, vision and/or hearing impairment may predispose the elderly to nonadherence. Similarly, medications themselves may contribute to nonadherence secondary to adverse effects or costs. Especially worrisome is nonadherence to 'less forgiving' drugs that, when missed, may lead to an adverse event (e.g. withdrawal symptoms) or disease exacerbation. Traditional methods for assessing medication adherence are unreliable. Direct questioning at the patient interview may not provide accurate assessments, especially if closed-ended, judgmental questions are posed. Prescription refill records and pill counts often overestimate true adherence rates. However, if elders are asked to describe how they take their medicines (using the Drug Regimen Unassisted Grading Scale or MedTake test tools), adherence problems can be identified in a non-threatening manner. Medication nonadherence should be suspected in elders who experience a decline in functional abilities. Predictors of medication nonadherence include specific disease states, such as cardiovascular diseases and depression. Technological aids to assessing medication adherence are available, but their utility is, thus far, primarily limited to a few research studies. These computerised devices, which assess adherence to oral and inhaled medications, may offer insight into difficult medication management problems. The most practical method of medication adherence assessment for most elderly patients may be through patient or caregiver interview using open-ended, non-threatening and non-judgmental questions.