# AGING, ARTHRITIS AND MEDICATION ADHERENCE

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA · 1993 · $285,599

## Abstract

The present proposal focuses on the medication adherence behaviors of
rheumatoid and osteoarthritis patients.  Although available medications
cannot cure either form of arthritis, they do slow disease progression,
decrease pain, and may even prevent disability.  Thus, adherence behaviors
are important to understand.  Estimates of nonadherence to medications for
arthritis patients are alarmingly high- as much as 60%.  Until the recent
advent of microelectronic monitoring devices, the measurement of adherence
behaviors was unreliable and based on verbal estimates or pill counts.  In
addition to problems with unreliable measurement, little attention had been
paid to the relationship of cognitive ability factors to nonadherence.
This is surprising, because it is likely that problems in understanding and
remembering a medication regimen contribute to nonadherence, particularly
in elderly adults who may experience age-related declines in comprehension
and memory processes.  The general goal of this proposal is to understand
the contribution of age-related comprehension and memory problems to
medication nonadherence and to determine effective forms of cognitive
interventions to improve adherence.  The specific aims of the proposal are
as follows: (1) Novel microelectronic devices will be used to record
adherence behaviors accurately in arthritis patients for the first time and
compared to more traditional measures. (Year 1-2); (2) A complete
theoretical framework for understanding adherence behaviors in rheumatoid
and osteoarthritis patients will be developed, using the model proposed by
Leventhal and Cameron (1987).  The model will focus on cognitive ability
variables in addition to variables suggested by Leventhal and Cameron which
include age, patient beliefs, social support and disease factors, using
structural equation models (Years 3-5). (3) A range of cognitive prostheses
or interventions will be developed and tested that are designed to (a)
improve comprehension of medication information; (b) provide memory support
for the medication information; (c) provide prospective memory
assistance--remembering to take medication at the right time (Year 3-5).
(4) Detailed, specific adherence data will be collected for two months from
each subject, which will permit the description of nonadherence patterns,
the differentiation of these patterns for drug type, disease state, dosage
schedules, as well as the relationship of these valuables to cognitive
ability variables and belief variables--information of great use to
practicing clinicians (Year 3-5). (5) Finally, the relationship between
adherence to a medication regimen and subjective well-being for rheumatoid
and osteoarthritis patients will be investigated directly (Year 2-3)--an
important but neglected topic.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3121803
- **Project number:** 5R01AG009868-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
- **SAM.gov UEI:** NMJHD63STRC5
- **Principal Investigator:** DENISE CORTIS PARK
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1993
- **Award amount:** $285,599
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1992-02-01 → 1997-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3121803

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3121803, AGING, ARTHRITIS AND MEDICATION ADHERENCE (5R01AG009868-02). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3121803. Licensed CC0.

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