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The Inability of Older Adults to Recall Their Drugs and Medical Conditions

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Abstract

Background/Objectives

Previous research has shown that many older adults without known cognitive impairment are unable to recall basic knowledge about their medical history. We sought to determine whether older adult patients in our own clinic population were able to recall their drug regimens and medical conditions from memory.

Methods

Patients aged 65 years or older with no known cognitive impairment, dementia, or memory loss who were presenting for routine outpatient follow-up in our medical school neurology and general medicine clinics were recruited. Each patient was asked to recall the number and names of their presently prescribed drugs and their associated medical conditions. Each patient was also administered a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) cognitive screening test (range 0–30).

Results

Most patients were unable to recall their drug regimens or their medical conditions. Of 99 patients taking drugs, only 22 % correctly named their drugs from memory, and only 34 % correctly named their medical conditions associated with the drugs. Fewer than half (49 %) correctly recalled the number of drugs they were taking. Poor recall performance was evident even in high-cognitive (MMSE >27) patients.

Conclusion

The accuracy of recall memory in older adults regarding their drugs and medical conditions may be poor, which has important implications towards medication reconciliation within meaningful-use doctrine. Clinicians treating older adults should be very cautious before relying on their patients’ memories for accurate recall of their medical conditions, their drug regimens, and even the number of drugs they are taking.

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Acknowledgments

Thomas A. Ala had full access to all of the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis. GaToya Jones, Vajeeha Tabassum, Gregory J. Zarow, and Thomas A. Ala have no potential conflicts of interest with respect to this manuscript or the research undertaken, including financial interests, personal conflicts, or potential conflicts. Gregory J. Zarow received financial compensation for performing the statistical analysis. GaToya Jones, Vajeeha Tabassum, and Thomas A. Ala contributed to the concept, design, and acquisition of subjects. GaToya Jones, Vajeeha Tabassum, Thomas A. Ala, and Gregory J. Zarow contributed to the analysis and interpretation of data, preparation of the manuscript, and final approval of the version to be published. No sources of funding were used to assist in the conduct of this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, USA

    GaToya Jones

  2. Department of Clinical Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, USA

    Vajeeha Tabassum

  3. The Emergency Statistician, Idyllwild, CA, USA

    Gregory J. Zarow

  4. Department of Neurology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, PO Box 19643, Springfield, IL, 62794-9643, USA

    Thomas A. Ala

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  1. GaToya Jones
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  2. Vajeeha Tabassum
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  4. Thomas A. Ala
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Correspondence to Thomas A. Ala.

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Jones, G., Tabassum, V., Zarow, G.J. et al. The Inability of Older Adults to Recall Their Drugs and Medical Conditions. Drugs Aging 32, 329–336 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40266-015-0255-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40266-015-0255-z

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