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Elders' nonadherence, its assessment, and computer assisted instruction for medication recall training
V O Leirer1, D G Morrow, G M Pariante
1Decision Systems, Stanford, California.
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
|October 1, 1988
Summary
Elderly medication nonadherence is often due to forgetting. Computer-assisted instruction (CAI) effectively teaches memory techniques, significantly reducing medication recall problems in older adults.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Health Informatics
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Medication nonadherence is a significant issue among elders.
- Existing monitoring methods are often obtrusive or inaccurate.
- Recall failure's role in nonadherence requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the role of recall failure in elderly nonadherence.
- To evaluate portable barcode scanner technology for studying nonadherence.
- To determine if computer-assisted instruction (CAI) can teach mnemonic techniques to improve medication recall.
Main Methods:
- Utilized portable barcode scanner technology for monitoring adherence.
- Employed computer-assisted instruction (CAI) to deliver mnemonic training.
- Compared a medication recall training group with a control group.
Main Results:
- Physically active and cognitively alert elders showed significant nonadherence (32.0%) due to forgetting.
- CAI significantly reduced medication nonadherence related to forgetting (10.0%).
- Barcode technology was user-friendly and identified forgetting as the primary issue.
Conclusions:
- Recall failure, specifically forgetting to take medication, is a major contributor to nonadherence in elders.
- CAI is an effective and inexpensive method for teaching mnemonic strategies to improve medication adherence.
- Portable barcode technology is a viable tool for detailed adherence monitoring.