Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Meyer, Marsha
• Enguidanos, Susan
• Zhu, Yujun
• Likar, Denise
• Batra, Romilla

Titel

Community Medication Education, Data, & Safety (C‐MEDS): Findings from a Pilot Project

Ist Teil von

• Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS), 2021-03, Vol.69 (3), p.813-821

Ort / Verlag

Hoboken, USA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc

Erscheinungsjahr

2021

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

Wiley Online Library All Journals

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Objectives Medication‐related problems remain one of the largest health risks for older adults, yet there are few resources available to effectively reduce medication‐related problems for community dwelling older adults. The aim of this pilot program was to determine the effectiveness of a multifaceted medication intervention on medication adherence and self‐efficacy in medication use. Design A single sample, pre‐post‐test design. Setting This pilot study was conducted at Independence at Home, a Senior Care Action Network (SCAN) community service in Southern California. Participants One hundred and eighty community‐dwelling, diverse older adults with potential medication‐related problems and their caregivers. Intervention The Community Medication Education, Data, & Safety (C‐MEDS) Program identified community‐dwelling older adults with potential medication‐related problems and provided in‐depth personalized medication safety, management and support, based on an in‐home assessment and interventions delivered by trained geriatrics experts including pharmacists, nurses, a community health worker, and a pharmacy technician. Measurements The primary outcomes included medication use self‐efficacy, measured by the MUSE, and select medication adherence measures. Adherence was measured via pill count and via the MedAdhIR tool, a scale that measures risk for medication non‐adherence. Results Following participation in the C‐MEDS program, community‐dwelling older adult C‐MEDS graduates (n = 105) had higher self‐efficacy in managing medications (P < .001). Additionally, C‐MEDS graduates also exhibited increased adherence to three types of medications (statins, diabetes‐related, and certain hypertension drugs; P < .001). Moreover, risk of non‐adherence declined significantly following C‐MEDS graduation (P < .001). Conclusion C‐MEDS holds promise as an effective intervention among community‐dwelling older adults in improving medication self‐efficacy, medication adherence among select medications, and reducing risk for non‐adherence. Additional studies are needed to assess replicability and impact on clinical outcomes.