Prevalence of Memory Impairment among Older Adult Patients Attending University Medical Clinics in Teaching Hospital Karapitiya and its Effect on Treatment Adherence in Long-Term Follow-Up

Abstract

Memory impairment is a major complaint among older adults. With aging, older people have to take more medications as they faced more medical conditions. Memory impairment can affect treatment adherence. Adherence to treatment is important to patients as well as to reduce the cost of health care system. This study was conducted in university medical clinics in Teaching Hospital Karapitiya (THK). Subjects were older adult patients (age over 60 years) who got treatments from university medical clinics in THK. Using descriptive cross sectional survey and interviewer administered questionnaire, data were collected from 300 patients, were analyzed using descriptive statistics including mean and standard deviations (SD) and presented by percentages, charts and tables. Pearson Chi Square test was used to test association between memory impairment and treatment adherence and also to test associations between memory components and treatment adherence. A total of 300 patients, 218 (72.7%) had no memory impairment and 82 (27.3%) had memory impairment. 14.6% of impaired memory patients had unsatisfactory level of treatment adherence and 73.2% of impaired memory patients had satisfactory level of treatment adherence. Results showed that there was no significant relationship between memory impairment and treatment adherence. Although the study has 27.3% of impaired memory patients, results suggest that there was no relationship between memory impairment and treatment adherence among older adults. Considering the impaired memory group their family support, monthly income and living situation were in good condition.