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08:47
Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
Acceptability and face validity of a geriatric self-medication assessment tool
Janice Irvine-Meek1, Odette N Gould, Hannah Wheaton
1, BSc(Pharm), PharmD, FCSHP, is with Pharmacy Services, Zone 1, Moncton, Horizon Health Network, New Brunswick.
The Canadian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy
|April 6, 2012
Summary
The Self-Medication Assessment Tool (SMAT) shows promise for identifying medication management issues in older adults. Pharmacists found the tool acceptable, especially those in hospital settings, indicating its potential utility.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Medicine
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Cognitive Assessment
Background:
- Most community-dwelling older adults manage their own medications.
- Cognitive and functional deficits can impair medication self-management.
- A tool is needed to screen for these deficits in geriatric patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop the Self-Medication Assessment Tool (SMAT).
- To evaluate the SMAT's face validity.
- To determine pharmacist acceptability of the SMAT.
Main Methods:
- Developed a 5-scale instrument assessing function, cognition, recall, and adherence.
- Conducted focus groups and interviews with 17 pharmacists and 3 students.
- Analyzed qualitative data for themes and quantitative data using 1-sample t tests.
Main Results:
- Pharmacists perceived the SMAT as useful for identifying medication management difficulties.
- A strong willingness to use the SMAT was expressed by participants.
- Hospital-based pharmacists showed slightly higher willingness to adopt the tool.
Conclusions:
- The SMAT demonstrated strong face validity.
- The tool is highly acceptable for use by pharmacists, particularly in hospital settings.
- Suggestions for improvement were noted for future psychometric testing.
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