Medication compliance in elderly outpatients using twice-daily dosing and unit-of-use packaging.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effect of unit-of-use drug packaging of medications on compliance among elderly outpatients treated with complex medication regimens.


METHODS
Nonblind, randomized, clinical trial.


METHODS
Geriatric outreach health centers in urban public housing units for independent-living elderly people.


METHODS
Thirty-one patients (aged > or = 60 y), each taking three or more prescribed medications. Patients were randomly assigned to one of three study groups: group 1 (n = 12), no change in dosing or packaging; group 2 (n = 10), conventional packaging with twice-daily dosing; group 3 (n = 9), unit-of-use packaging with twice-daily dosing.


METHODS
A unit-of-use package consisting of a two-ounce plastic cup with a snap-on lid containing all medications to be taken at the time of dosing.


METHODS
Medication compliance was assessed monthly for six months using tablet counts.


RESULTS
Medication compliance was significantly better in group 3 (92.6 percent) using unit-of-use packaging compared with either group 1 (79 percent) or group 2 (82.6 percent) (p = 0.017). Compliance did not differ between groups 1 and 2.


CONCLUSIONS
In this small study of elderly outpatients taking three or more medications, unit-of-use packaging and twice-daily dosing improved medication compliance compared with conventional packaging.
Murray
M D
MD
Department of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, Purdue University, Wishard Memorial Hospital, Indianapolis, IN 46202.
Birt
J A
JA
Manatunga
A K
AK
Darnell
J C
JC
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004349:Drug Packaging; D004358:Drug Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010045:Outpatients; D010349:Patient Compliance