medication compliance in the elderly

Introduction

Factors affecting medication compliance in the elderly:

• cognitive impairment, dementia
• visual impairment, difficulty reading label
• hearing impairment, difficulty understanding instructions
• impecunity, unable to afford medications
• immobility, inadequate transportation or mobility

Epidemiology

• 20% of prescriptions are never filled
• 30-60% of elderly use medications in a manner differently than the prescriber intended
• non-compliance accounts for 50% of medication failure

More general terms

• medication compliance (taking medicine)

Additional terms

• medication reconciliation