title: Older adults' memory for medical information, effect of number and mode of presentation: An experimental study.
abstract: To analyze different ways of presenting medical information to older adults, tailoring the information and its presentation to the characteristics of memory function in old age.
  
  
  
  Experimental study. We took into account the following variables: amount of information, type of information and mode of presentation, and time delay.
  
  
  
  The greater the number of recommendations, the lower the recall; visual presentation does not enhance verbal presentation; lifestyle information is recalled better than medication information; after ten minutes the percentage of memory decreases significantly; the first and last recommendations are better remembered.
  
  
  
  As a whole, these findings show that older adults remember more medical information when very few recommendations are provided in each session.
  
  
  
  It is inadvisable to overload older adults with a large amount of information: It is better to program more consultations and provide less information.
authors: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychology, University of Castilla-La Mancha. Albacete, Spain; Applied Cognitive Psychology Unit (CICyPA), Albacete, Spain.
authors: José Miguel
authors: JM
authors: Latorre-Postigo
authors: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychology, University of Castilla-La Mancha. Albacete, Spain; Applied Cognitive Psychology Unit (CICyPA), Albacete, Spain.
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Ros-Segura
authors: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychology, University of Castilla-La Mancha. Albacete, Spain; Applied Cognitive Psychology Unit (CICyPA), Albacete, Spain; Clinical Research Support Unit, National Paraplegic Hospital Foundation in Toledo, Albacete, Spain. Electronic address: Beatriz.Navarro@uclm.es.
authors: Beatriz
authors: B
authors: Navarro-Bravo
authors: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychology, University of Castilla-La Mancha. Albacete, Spain; Applied Cognitive Psychology Unit (CICyPA), Albacete, Spain.
authors: Jorge Javier
authors: JJ
authors: Ricarte-Trives
authors: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychology, University of Castilla-La Mancha. Albacete, Spain; Applied Cognitive Psychology Unit (CICyPA), Albacete, Spain.
authors: Juan Pedro
authors: JP
authors: Serrano-Selva
authors: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Science, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain; University Health Centre (Zone VIII), Albacete, Spain.
authors: Jesús
authors: J
authors: López-Torres-Hidalgo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Aging; Medical recommendations; Memory