EFFECTS OF SELF-MEDICATION PROGRAM ON KNOWLEDGE OF DRUGS AND COMPLIANCE WITH TREATMENT IN ELDERLY PATIENTS

Objective-To determine whether a programme of self medication for inpatients improves compliance with treatment and knowledge of their drugs after discharge from hospital. Design-Patients were prospectively recruited from four wards: two with a self medication programme and two acting as controls. Ten days after discharge the patients were visited at home. They were questioned about their drugs, and a tablet count was undertaken. Setting-The pharmacy department and four medical wards with an interest in elderly patients at a district general hospital, and the patients' homes. Patients-88 patients discharged to their own homes who were regularly taking one or more drugs. Intervention-A hospital self medication programme in which patients are educated about their medicines and given increasing responsibility for taking them in hospital. Main outcome measure-Compliance with and knowledge of the purpose of their medicines 10 days after discharge from hospital. Results-The mean compliance score in patients taking part in the self medication programme was 95% compared with 83% in the control group (difference 12%, 95% confidence interval 4% to 21%; P<0.02). Of the patients in the self medication group, 90% (38/42) knew the purpose of their drugs compared with 46% (17/37) in the control group (difference 44%, 26% to 63%; P<0.001). Conclusion-A self medication programme is an effective aid for improving compliance with and knowledge of patients' drugs after discharge.