Non-Adherence to Physician’s Recommendations and Associated Risk Factors in Patients Aged 60 Years and Older

AIM. This study aimed to evaluate risk factors of low medication adherence in outpatients aged 60 and over. MATERIALS AND METHODS. A total of 224 participants aged 60 years and over were included in the study. The mean age was 71.2±6.6 years, with 129 (57,6%) being female. General clinical examination, probable frailty screening using the «Age is Not a Hindrance» questionnaire were performed. Medication adherence was assessed using the four-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale. RESULTS. Adherent and non-adherent patients were comparable in terms of age (p = 0,598), gender (p = 0,563), intake of drug groups, adherence to healthy lifestyle principles, concomitant diseases, with the exception of diabetes mellitus, which was more common (p = 0,037) among non-adherent patients. A negative correlation was established between adherence to treatment and probable frailty (r = −0,24, p < 0,001), diabetes mellitus (= −0,14, p = 0,032). Non-adherence to the treatment regimen was associated with probable frailty (OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.12–0.56; p < 0.001), and the absence of the frailty and diabetes mellitus was associated with high adherence to treatment (OR 4,58, 95% CI 1,24–16,87, p = 0.022). CONCLUSION. Medication non-adherence was found in 38,8% outpatients aged 60 and over. Multimorbid older patients with probable frailty and diabetes mellitus have a high risk of non-adherence to treatment.