Deterioration
of the medication adherence for elderly could result in wasteful
medical expenditure in a long-term span as well as aggravating
the patient's medical condition.
Objective: This study surveyed the effect of one-dose package
medication made up by a pharmacist on the patient's behavior towards
medication, what is expected to be one of the measures to improve
the medication adherence for elderly.
Methods: With support activity of the Pharmacist Association in
Ueda-city in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, the survey form of one-dose
package was sent to 86 pharmacy directors located in Ueda-city.
Results: The most frequent reasons of one dose packaging was “Patient’s
request” though, “Large number of doses”, “Prevent the improper
drug use” and “Improved medication adherence” which is considered
that the pharmacists are willing to utilize one dose package for
patient’s care in order to improve the medication adherence were
chosen as well. The influences of one dose package for patient’s
medication adherence were very positive, and most answers indicated
that medication adherence was improved.
Conclusion: It is noticed that the pharmacists were willing to
dispense one dose packaging by own decision, not physician’s order,
in order to improve the medication adherence, prevent improper
drug use and optimize the medication therapy. It is also noticed
that there are great improvement of patient’s compliance by one
dose package, and patients felt advantage to reduce the improper
drug use as well.
