Acceptability of the <i>‘I manage my meds’</i> toolkit for managing polypharmacy at home among adults aged 65 years and above: a community researcher supported study

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the acceptability of the 'I manage my meds' toolkit in supporting adults aged 65 years and above to manage multiple medications at home. A secondary objective was to assess the extent to which 'I manage my meds' acceptability differs between different demographic groups, in this study, those from a South Asian background. METHODS: A community researcher facilitated study was conducted in Bradford, UK. Sixty participants aged 65-94 years, each managing at least five medications, were recruited. As a focus of this study was to explore whether the culturally adapted toolkit was acceptable, half of the sample recruited were from a South Asian background. Participants engaged with the toolkit, available in English and Urdu, before completing a structured questionnaire based on the theoretical framework of acceptability. Quantitative data were analysed using factor analysis, descriptive statistics, and comparative tests between ethnic groups. KEY FINDINGS: The toolkit demonstrated high overall acceptability, with a mean score of 2.93 out of 4. Acceptability did not significantly differ by age but varied across domains of the framework. Intervention Coherence received the highest ratings, indicating that participants found the toolkit easy to understand, while self-efficacy scored lowest, suggesting some limitations in confidence for medicine self-management. South Asian participants reported significantly higher overall acceptability (mean 3.33) compared with non-South Asian participants (mean 2.61). Significant differences were found across multiple domains, with South Asian participants reporting greater perceived usefulness and fewer barriers to use. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that the 'I manage my meds' toolkit is a clear, practical, and well-received resource for older adults managing polypharmacy at home. The culturally adapted version demonstrated high acceptability among South Asian participants, highlighting the importance of tailoring health interventions to diverse populations.