Elderly
Lack Medication Knowledge
A study finds only 15 percent of the elderly
emergency department patients (over age 65), who
were interviewed in an urban hospital, could correctly
list all their medications, dosages, frequencies,
and indications. (Knowledge of Prescription Medications
Among Elderly Emergency Department Patients)
“Our study reflects poor communication between
health care providers and elderly patients, the
complexity of modern medication regimens, and the
passive role the elderly are taking in their health
care,” said Joel M. Bartfield, MD, of Albany
Medical College in New York and co-author of the
study. “Considering a large number of elderly
people go to emergency departments with adverse
drug reactions, and they are fastest growing age
group, this could become a major public health problem.”
Of the 77 patients interviewed for the study, each
were taking an average of just less than six prescription
medications. The study found the more medications
elderly patients were taking, the more likely they
would have trouble identify them, their dosages,
frequencies, and indications.
When researchers verified the actual number of medications
patients were prescribed (458 total) with the total
number patients had listed (359 total), they found
that each patient omitted on average a little more
than one medication. While patients listed 359 medications,
they only correctly identified 236 drugs (65.5 percent),
and only 32.5 percent of patients correctly identified
their dosages.
Researchers said if their study had not excluded
elderly patients, who did not know their pharmacy,
were disoriented or medically unstable, they may
have found this problem to be much more pervasive.
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