Multiple drug regimens: Medication compliance among veterans 65 years and older

In this study we attempted to develop a profile that could be used prospectively to identify veterans over 64 years of age who might be at risk for medication noncompliance. Male veterans (N = 249) having from one to seven oral daily prescribed medications were studied. Instruments administered to determine their relationship to compliance were the Paired—Associate Test, the Mini Mental State, the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control, and the Standard Depression Scale. Compliance was determined by a pill count made at two home visits. Seventy‐three percent of the subjects were noncompliant. Variables significantly related to noncompliance by bi‐variate analysis were included in the stepwise logistic regression to develop a predictive model of noncompliance. Ethnicity and number of daily prescribed pills were the only significant variables in the final model. The model correctly classified the subjects as compliant/noncompliant in 77% of the cases. Discussions during home interviews revealed a number of common problems.