The Gerontologist, Vol 33, Issue 6 772-781, Copyright © 1993 by The Gerontological Society of America

ARTICLES

Compliance and cognitive function: a methodological approach to measuring unintentional errors in medication compliance in the elderly. McGill-Calgary Drug Research Team

LM Isaac and RM Tamblyn
Division of Behavioral Medicine, Fitzgerald Mercy Hospital, Darby, PA 19023.

This study describes the development of a method for assessing the relationship between cognitive function, comprehension, and compliance with medication. We assessed multiple aspects of cognitive performance, medication planning ability, and medication compliance in a convenience sample of 20 outpatients. Using a test battery that measured mental status, attention/concentration, memory function, and motor strength and dexterity, we found that: (1) standard mental status assessment was poorly correlated with memory function; (2) attention/concentration and memory were related to medication planning accuracy; (3) motor dexterity and strength were related to the ability to access medications; and (4) visual perception and memory were the skills most strongly correlated with medication compliance. Findings suggest that aspects of attention/concentration, visual and verbal memory, and motor function which are untapped by simple mental status assessment are related to medication access, planning, and compliance in elderly patients.

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