Gerontology & Geriatric Research

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN HEALTHCARE SERVICE USE COMPLEXITY (NUMBER OF PROVIDERS AND VISITS) AND MEDICATION USE (SELF-REPORTED CONFIDENCE AND ADHERENCE) AMONG OLDER SINGAPOREAN ADULTS

4^th International Conference on Geriatrics & Gerontological Nursing

October 3-4, 2016 | London, UK

Stacey Ying Guo, Heather Whitson, Truls Ostbye and Rahul Malhotra

Duke University, UK

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Gerontol Geriat Res

Abstract:

Multiple chronic diseases have been associated with lower health related quality of life, and higher utilization of health care services, but what is not clear in the literature is the impact on the patient�??s self-reported confidence in taking prescribed medications and the resulting impact on their illness. The Main Questionnaire �??Singapore Assessment for Frailty in Elderly �?? Building upon the Panel on Health and aging of Singaporean Elderly, 2015�?� is a population based study that includes responses from over 1700 Singaporeans. Questions were asked to patients pertaining to a number of providers and the number of encounters in the last three months for the same chronic condition, and the number and type of chronic conditions they have. The aim of this study was to investigate whether medical complexity in the form of multiple providers for multiple commodities and increased service use results in lower levels of confidence and thereby, lower adherence to medication. Preliminary analysis shows increased providers and number of visits affects self-repoted confidence in taking prescribed medication correctly and more times medication is forgotten, with the relationship holding true with < 7 providers/ number of visits to a provider in a three month period.

Biography :

Stacey Ying Guo is an MD candidate at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore, with an interest and focus on Geriatric and Rehabilitation Medicine. She graduated from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada with a Bachelor of Science in Neurobiology and Social Sciences. Presently, she is conducting research at Duke University in Durham, NC for her third year of medical studies.

Email: Guo.ying@duke.edu stace.guo@hotmail.com