The Relationship Between Self-Neglect and Self-Efficacy for Appropriate Medication Use Among Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

As older adults increasingly live with multiple chronic conditions, appropriate medication use and adequate self-efficacy are important components of effective self-management. Self-neglect, characterized by insufficient attention to personal health and self-care, may be associated with health-related behaviors in later life. This study aimed to examine the association between self-neglect and self-efficacy for appropriate medication use among older adults. This descriptive cross-sectional correlational study was conducted in 2024 among older adults attending 11 comprehensive urban health centers in Rafsanjan, southeastern Iran. Participants were selected using proportional random sampling. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the Elder Self-Neglect Scale, and the Self-Efficacy for Appropriate Medication Use Scale. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 22. Participants demonstrated moderate levels of self-neglect (78.71 ± 12.28) and medication self-efficacy (23.80 ± 5.81). A weak inverse association was observed between self-neglect and self-efficacy for appropriate medication use (<i>r</i> = -.20, <i>p</i> = .05). Higher mean self-neglect scores were observed among women and participants with higher levels of education. The findings suggest a weak association between self-neglect and medication self-efficacy among older adults. Given the cross-sectional design and the borderline statistical significance of the association, causal inferences cannot be drawn. Further longitudinal and interventional studies are warranted to clarify the direction and practical significance of this relationship.