OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess older adults\' perceptions of the importance and reasonableness of 8 medication safety behaviors in ambulatory settings and compare their responses with those of younger adults.
METHODS: We conducted a survey of 1222 adults in the United States using crowdsourcing to evaluate patient behaviors that may enhance medication safety in community settings. A total of 8 safety behaviors were identified based on the literature, such as bringing medications to office visits, confirming medications at home, managing medication refills, using patient portals, organizing medications, checking medications, getting help, and knowing medications. Respondents were asked about their perception of the importance and reasonableness of these behaviors on a 5-point Likert rating scale in the context of collaboration with primary care providers. We assessed the relative ranking of behaviors in terms of importance and reasonableness and examined the association between these dimensions across age groups using statistical tests.
RESULTS: Of 1222 adult participants, 125 (10.2%) were aged 65 years or older. Most participants were White, college-educated, and had chronic conditions. Older adults rated all 8 behaviors significantly higher in both importance and reasonableness than did younger adults (P<.001 for combined behaviors). Confirming medications ranked highest in importance (mean score=3.78) for both age groups while knowing medications ranked highest in reasonableness (mean score=3.68). Using patient portals was ranked lowest in importance (mean score=3.53) and reasonableness (mean score=3.49). There was a significant correlation between the perceived importance and reasonableness of the identified behaviors, with coefficients ranging from 0.436 to 0.543 (all P<.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Older adults perceived the identified safety behaviors as more important and reasonable than younger adults. However, both age groups considered a behavior highly recommended by professionals as the least important and reasonable. Patient engagement strategies, common and specific to age groups, should be considered to improve medication safety in ambulatory settings.
目的:本研究旨在评估老年人对门诊环境中8种用药安全行为的重要性和合理性的看法,并将他们的反应与年轻人的反应进行比较。
方法:我们使用众包对美国1222名成年人进行了一项调查,以评估可能增强社区用药安全性的患者行为。根据文献共确定了8种安全行为,例如将药物带到办公室访问,在家里确认药物,管理药物补充,使用患者门户,组织药物,检查药物,得到帮助,知道药物。在与初级保健提供者合作的背景下,以5点Likert评分量表询问受访者对这些行为的重要性和合理性的看法。我们在重要性和合理性方面评估了行为的相对排名,并使用统计检验检查了这些维度在各个年龄段之间的关联。
结果:在1222名成年参与者中,125(10.2%)年龄在65岁或以上。大多数参与者是白人,受过大学教育,患有慢性疾病。老年人对所有8种行为的重要性和合理性均明显高于年轻人(组合行为P<.001)。对于两个年龄组,确认药物的重要性最高(平均得分=3.78),而了解药物的合理性最高(平均得分=3.68)。使用患者门户的重要性(平均得分=3.53)和合理性(平均得分=3.49)排名最低。所识别行为的感知重要性和合理性之间存在显著相关性,系数范围为0.436至0.543(所有P<.001)。
结论:老年人认为确定的安全行为比年轻人更重要和合理。然而,两个年龄组都认为专业人士极力推荐的行为是最不重要和合理的。患者参与战略,常见和特定于年龄组,应考虑提高门诊环境中的用药安全性。