2019, Cilt 6, Sayı 3, Sayfa(lar) 150-159
The Elderly Medication Use Behaviors That Cause Medication Non-Compliance and Its Association with Their Health Literacy Levels
Özlem ÖZTAŞ1, Gülbahar KORKMAZ ASLAN2
1Hemşire, Pamukkale Üniversitesi Hastaneleri Nöroloji Servisi Kınıklı /Denizli, Türkiye
2Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Pamukkale Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi Halk Sağlığı Hemşireliği Anabilimdalı Kınıklı /Denizli
Keywords: Elderly, health literacy, medication use, medication nonadherence

Aim: The purpose of the study was to determine the association between medication use behaviors that cause medication non-compliance and the level of health literacy in elderly individuals.

Material and Methods: This study was descriptive and cross-sectional. The universe of the study was composed of 1654 individiuals who were 65 years and older and registered to two family health centers in Denizli. The sample of the study included 280 individuals who admitted to family health centers due to any reason. Data of the study were collected between September 2016 and April 2017. Data were collected by using Identification Form for Socio-Demographic Characteristics and Health Status of Elderly, Identification Form for Knowledge and Behaviors of Elderly towards Medication Use and Adult Health Literacy Scale. Numbers, percentage and logistic regression analysis were used for statistical analysis.

Results: It was determined that the most common medication use behaviors that cause medication non-compliance was forgetting to take medications (46.4%). The mean score of the health literacy scale was found to be 11.75 ± 3.97 and it was considered as medium-level. According to logistic regression analysis, low health literacy levels was found to be associated with the behaviors of forgetting to take the medications and discontinuing medication without asking doctor when felt good.

Conclusion: Low health literacy level was found to be associated with the behaviors of forgetting to take the medications and discontinuing medication without asking doctor when felt good. Based on these results, it can be suggested that it is required to address especially the behaviors of forgetting to take medications and quitting to take medications without asking a doctor among the elderly individuals, who have a low health literacy level.