FACTORS RELATED TO MEDICATION ADHERENCE IN A MULTIETHNIC SAMPLE OF OLDER PERSONS WITH MULTIMORBID CHRONIC CONDITIONS

POSTER PRESENTATIONS

Objective. We investigated psychological, behavioral and sociocultural factors associated with medication adherence in persons aged 50 and older with multimorbid chronic conditions (MCC) to guide the development of a theory-based intervention to improve medication adherence among this group for whom tailored interventions have not yet been developed. Background. Persons with MCC (e.g., diabetes, chronic heart disease) face particular challenges to reaching optimal medication adherence due to a variety of factors that influence motivation to adhere to medication, in addition complex medication regimens. Methods. We conducted face-to-face qualitative and quantitative interviews with 21 patients aged 51–77 years (M=60; SD=7.35) from a community clinic who were diagnosed with MCC. The interviews were guided by the Information-Motivation-Behavior (IMB) Skills model to investigate relevant factors associated with adherence. Descriptive and thematic analyses were conducted with the qualitative data. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS; descriptive data (measures of central tendency and standard deviation) are also reported. Results. The number of CC ranged from 2 to 8 (M=3; SD=1.53); the majority (62%) reported having 3 or more. The majority reported being Black or multiracial. This study identified several themes within sociocultural contexts relevant to understanding factors related to improve medication adherence in persons over 50 with MCC. Analyses revealed mood/depression, patient-doctor relationship, family support, spiritual/religious influences, and access to medications influenced adherence. Conclusion. The findings elucidate motivational factors and the influence of culture in adherence decision-making. For persons aged 50 and older with MCC, intervening to improve adherence will likely be most effective by targeting potential culturally relevant motivational barriers. Grants. This study was funded by a grant from Nova Southeastern University