Gerontology & Geriatric Research

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SERVICE USE VARIABILITY, MORBIDITY BURDEN AND MEDICATION USE AMONG OLDER ADULTS: IMPLICATIONS FOR MEDICALLY COMPLEX PATIENTS

5^th International Conference on Geriatric Medicine & Gerontological Nursing

November 14-15, 2016 | Atlanta, USA

Stacey Ying Guo, Heather Whitson,Truls Ostbye and Rahul Malhotra

Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
Duke University, Durham, USA

Accepted Abstracts: J Gerontol Geriat Res

Abstract:

Multiple chronic diseases have been associated with lower health related quality of life and higher utilization of health care services, but what is not clear in the literature is the impact on the patient�??s self-reported confidence in taking prescribed medications and the resulting impact on their illness. The Main Questionnaire �??Singapore Assessment for Frailty in Elderly �?? Building upon the Panel on Health and aging of Singaporean Elderly, 2015�?� is a population based study that includes responses from over 1700 Singaporeans. Questions were asked to patients pertaining to a number of providers and the number of encounters in the last three months for the same chronic condition, and the number and type of chronic conditions they have. The aim of this study was to investigate whether medical complexity in the form of multiple providers for multiple commodities and increased service use results in lower levels of confidence and thereby, lower adherence to medication. Preliminary analysis shows increased providers and number of visits affects self-reported confidence in taking prescribed medication correctly and frequent medication is forgotten with the relationship holding true with < 7 providers/number of visits to a provider in a three month period.