Controlled study of the impact of educational home visits by pharmacists to high-risk older patients.
Lack of information about medications coupled with high rates of utilization complicates compliance with medication regimens and increases the risk of adverse effects among older adults. We undertook a study of the efficacy of community-based interventions by pharmacists in a randomly-allocated one-half of a sample of 284 older adults considered to be at high risk for medication-related problems. Information and attitudes towards prescription and over-the-counter medications did not differ significantly between the intervention and comparison groups, either before or after the pharmacist interventions. However, visits to physicians were significantly less in the intervention group, suggesting an important if unexpected impact on health-related behavior.
Sidel
V W
VW
Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10467.
Beizer
J L
JL
Lisi-Fazio
D
D
Kleinmann
K
K
Wenston
J
J
Thomas
C
C
Kelman
H R
HR
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000592:standards*; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009519:New York City; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic