Older adult medication compliance: integrated review of randomized controlled trials.
OBJECTIVE
To examine interventions and outcomes of medication compliance studies in older adults.


METHODS
An integrated review of randomized controlled trials was completed.


RESULTS
Thirty-one of 57 studies reported significantly greater medication compliance in treatment subjects versus control subjects. Interventions included counseling, education, self-medication programs, cues and organizers, and decreasing dosing frequency. Decreasing dosing frequency and self-medication programs were successful, although not frequently evaluated.


CONCLUSIONS
Future studies should address methodologic flaws (eg, small sample sizes, measurement validity issues), test theory-based interventions delivered by diverse providers, evaluate intervention dose, and examine persistence of compliance behavior changes.
Russell
Cynthia L
CL
School of Nursing, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211, USA. RussellC@health.missouri.edu
Conn
Vicki S
VS
Jantarakupt
Peeranuch
P
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004358:Drug Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic