# FUNCTIONING AND MEDICATION MANAGEMENT IN OLDER PEOPLE

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · 1993 · $281,255

## Abstract

Despite the consumption of multiple prescription drugs by elderly people
and the significant potential for medication toxicity, no studies have
addressed. the specific impact of improved medication management.  This
study will: 1) assess the effects of adjustment of medications on
physical, cognitive, and affective functioning, on pharmaceutical costs
and utilization of services among geriatric outpatients who are taking
multiple medications; and 2) identify factors that characterize those
individuals most likely to benefit from a medication adjustment program.

Physicians (n=70-80) serving patients aged 65 and older in the General
Medicine Clinic of the University of North Carolina hospitals will be
stratified by the proportion of black patients within their practice and
randomly assigned to intervention or control conditions.  Eligible
subjects will concurrently be identified from the clinic database who are
active patients taking five or more prescription medications two of which
are on a 'target' list of drugs frequently prescribed for elderly
persons.  The assignment of subjects (n=600) to intervention or control
conditions will follow that of their primary physician.  Subjects will be
stratified by age and sex.

Intervention subjects will participate in a medication adjustment program
which consists of intensive evaluation and education, carried on
conjointly with the individual's personal physician and a
multidisciplinary, intervention team.  Baseline measures will be done on
both control and intervention subjects with follow-up at 2,4, and 6
weeks, and 3 and 6 months to assess change.  Improved functioning of
program participants has implications both for improved health-related
quality of life of subjects but also for reducing the burden of cost to
older patients and use of services by the population.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3122793
- **Project number:** 5R01AG010828-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL
- **SAM.gov UEI:** D3LHU66KBLD5
- **Principal Investigator:** MARK E WILLIAMS
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1993
- **Award amount:** $281,255
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1992-09-30 → 1995-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3122793

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3122793, FUNCTIONING AND MEDICATION MANAGEMENT IN OLDER PEOPLE (5R01AG010828-02). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3122793. Licensed CC0.

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