title: Better drug knowledge with fewer drugs, both in the young and the old.
abstract: Little is known about drug knowledge of patients, which is relevant for both the compliance and quality of pharmacotherapy. Drug knowledge was quantified in 160 patients in the outpatient clinics of the departments of Internal and Geriatric Medicine. Medication knowledge was generally poor, especially among older patients. Better knowledge was associated with the use of fewer drugs. Caregivers of dementia patients performed as well as younger patients, indicating that older people can perform well, if well-instructed.
authors.affiliation: Section of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, the Netherlands
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Hartholt
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Val
authors.forename: C W N
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Looman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petrovic
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schakel
authors.forename: T J M
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: van der Cammen
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D004358:Drug Therapy; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D010045:Outpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires