Poor medication adherence to bisphosphonates and high self-perception of aging in elderly female patients with osteoporosis.
Non-adherence to bisphosphonates exposes the elderly female osteoporosis patients to an increased risk of fracture. This was one of the first studies to explore the relationship between medication adherence and self-perception of aging. Feelings of lacking control and expectations for negative events, beliefs of illness's chronic duration nature, and its linkage with aging were associated with of poor medication adherence.



To examine the relationship between medication adherence to bisphosphonates and self-perception of aging in elderly female patients with osteoporosis.



This was a cross-sectional survey. A convenience sample of 245 elderly female patients with osteoporosis prescribed regular oral bisphosphonate therapy was recruited from three tertiary hospitals in China. Sociodemographic and osteoporosis-related data, Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8 (MMAS-8) and Aging Perceptions Questionnaire (APQ) data were collected.



Mean adherence score measured by MMAS-8 was 4.46(SD = 1.91; range, 0.25-7.00). Percentages of good and poor adherence were 28.6 and 71.4 %, which showed a poor medication adherence. Six domains of APQ statistically significantly associated with medication adherence. Interestingly, with control of age, educational status, marital status, and symptoms accompanying osteoporosis as covariates in the multivariate linear regression model, the effects of three domains disappeared. Significantly, worse adherence was observed in those patients who had higher feelings of lack of control, more expectations for negative events, more beliefs of osteoporosis's chronic duration nature and its linkage with aging.



We conclude that feelings of lacking control, expectations for negative events, beliefs of illness's chronic duration nature, and its linkage with aging were associated with poor medication adherence in elderly female patients with osteoporosis. Concerns about self-perception of aging need to be addressed in order to improve medication adherence.
Peking University School of Nursing, No. 38 Xueyuan Road, Haidian, Beijing, 100191, China.
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Wu
General Surgery Department, Beijing Hospital, No. 1 Dongdan Dahua Road, Dongcheng, Beijing, 100730, China.
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Wei
The Sixth People's Hospital of Weifang, No. 4116 Yongan Road, Weicheng, Weifang, Shandong Province, 261000, China.
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Sun
Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, Department of Psychology, Capital Normal University, No.105 Xisanhuan Beilu, Haidian, Beijing, 100048, China. wuxuanna@126.com.
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Wu
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002681:China; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004164:Diphosphonates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055118:Medication Adherence; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012649:Self Concept
D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D004164:Diphosphonates
Bisphosphonates; Medication adherence; Osteoporosis; Self-perception of aging; Women