Resources to Improve Medication Adherence in Older Adults with Chronic Diseases: A Systematic Review
Resources to Improve Medication Adherence in Older Adults with Chronic Diseases: A Systematic Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22298/rfs.2025.v13.n1.8630Keywords:
Pharmaceutical Services, Health Services for the Aged, Medication Therapy Management, Chronic Disease.Abstract
Objective: Non-Communicable Chronic Diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of global mortality, especially in low and middle-income countries. Medication adherence is crucial for managing these conditions, yet half of elderly patients fail to follow prescriptions correctly. Pharmacists play a key role in improving adherence, but there is a lack of studies evaluating the effectiveness of their interventions. This review aimed to identify the resources and clinical services pharmacists use to promote adherence in elderly NCD patients and assess their impact.
Methods: A systematic literature review following PRISMA guidelines was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Scielo in March 2024. The review focused on studies involving pharmacist-provided clinical services to promote adherence in elderly patients with Hypertension, Diabetes Mellitus, and Dyslipidemia. Data synthesis adhered to Cochrane Collaboration recommendations.
Results: The search yielded 2,357 records, with 10 studies meeting the inclusion criteria. Resources were categorized into four types: tools (30%), contact approaches (30%), medication dispensing (30%), and applications (10%). Significant improvements in adherence were observed with medication organizers, home visits, specialized dispensing (e.g., home delivery), and educational applications. Home delivery programs, medication synchronization, and educational applications showed the lowest risk of bias.
Conclusion: Pharmacist-led interventions, such as medication organizers, home visits, specialized dispensing, and applications, significantly improve adherence in elderly patients with NCDs. However, further research is needed to enhance and evaluate these strategies due to gaps in the methodological quality of existing studies.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Vinícius Soares Ribeiro, Ana Samara Morais de Azevedo, Luan Diniz Pessoa, Thais Teles de Souza , Walleri Christini Torelli Reis , Ana Carolina Melchiros
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