Abstract
Lack of information about medications coupled with high rates of utilization complicates compliance with medication regimens and increases the risk of adverse effects among older adults. We undertook a study of the efficacy of community-based interventions by pharmacists in a randomly-allocated one-half of a sample of 284 older adults considered to be at high risk for medication-related problems. Information and attitudes towards prescription and over-the-counter medications did not differ significantly between the intervention and comparison groups, either before or after the pharmacist interventions. However, visits to physicians were significantly less in the intervention group, suggesting an important if unexpected impact on health-related behavior.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Fedder DO: Drug use in the elderly: Issues of noncompliance.Drug Intell Clin Pharm. 18:152–62, 1984.
Murray MO, Darnell J, Weinberger M, Martz BL: Factors contributing to medication noncompliance in elderly public housing tenants.Drug Intell Clin Pharm. 20:146–52, 1986.
Juergens P, Smith MC, Sharpe TR: Determinants of OTC drug use in elderly.J Geriatr Drug Therapy 1:31–46, 1986.
Johnson RE, Pope CR: Nonprescription drug use among the elderly.Am J Prev Med 1:41–46, 1985.
May FE, Stewart RB, Hale WE,et al: Prescribed and nonprescribed drug use in an ambulatory elderly population.South Med J 75:522–528, 1982.
Helling DK, Lemke JH, Selma TP,et al: Medication use characteristics in the elderly: The Iowa 65+ rural health study.J Am Geriatr Soc 35:4–12, 1987.
Darnell JC, Murray MD, Martz BL,et al: Medication use by ambulatory elderly, an in-home survey.J Am Geriatr Soc 34:1–4, 1986.
Ostrom JR, Hammarlund GR, Christensen DB,et al: Medication usage in an elderly population.Med Care 23:157–164, 1985.
Chien CP, Townsend EJ, Ross-Townsend A: Substance use and abuse among the community elderly: The medical aspect.Addict Dis 3:357–372, 1978.
German PS, Burton LC: Medication and the elderly.Journal of Aging and Health 1(1): 4–34, 1989.
Engel SI, Beizer JL, Kleinmann K: An Assessment of Medication Usage Among an Ambulatory Elderly Population. Presented to the Annual Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, New Orleans, 1985.
Beizer JL, Lisi DM, Kleinmann K: Pharmacists' House Calls: Assessment and Intervention on Geriatric Drug Use. Presented to the Mid-Year Clinical Meeting of the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Las Vegas. 1986.
Kelman HR, Thomas C: Hospital and ambulatory service use by the urban elderly under different health care delivery systems.Medical Care 26:739–749, 1988.
Thomas C, Kelman HR: Health service use among the elderly under alternative delivery systems.J Community Health 15:1989.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Victor W. Sidel, MD, is Distinguished University Professor of Social Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY. Judith L. Beizer, PharmD, is Assistant Clinical Professor, College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions, St. John's University, Jamaica, NY. Donna Lisi-Fazio, PharmD, is Assistant Professor of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Northeast Louisiana University, Monroe, LA. Kurt Kleinmann, MS, is Director of Pharmacy Services, Henry and Lucy Moses Division, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY. John Wenston, MA, is Systems Analyst, Management Information System, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY. Cynthia Thomas, PhD, is Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY. Howard R. Kelman, PhD, is Professor of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY.
Supported by grants from the National Institute on Aging (P01AG03424 and R01AG08125)
The authors are grateful to Donald Harry, Steven Engel, Ilene Maier, and Janet Klein for their assistance.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sidel, V.W., Beizer, J.L., Lisi-Fazio, D. et al. Controlled study of the impact of educational home visits by pharmacists to high-risk older patients. J Community Health 15, 163–174 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01350254
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01350254