If an older person has not been taking prescribed medications for several months, which aspect of the assessment should the nurse focus on to identify the reason for nonadherence?

If an older person has not been taking prescribed medications for several months, which aspect of the assessment should the nurse focus on to identify the reason for nonadherence?

• A. Socioeconomic status
• B. Functional ability
• C. Medical diagnoses
• D. Nutritional status

Answer: (A)

The main issue is that financial barriers and access problems often drive medication nonadherence in older adults. When on a fixed income or with limited prescription coverage, the cost of multiple medications, co-pays, and related expenses can lead a patient to skip doses or stop refills altogether. In the assessment, the nurse should explore affordability and access: whether the patient has adequate insurance or coverage, the out-of-pocket cost of medications, the ability to pay for prescriptions, and practical barriers like getting to the pharmacy, obtaining refills, or inconsistent supply. These are the most actionable and common factors to identify first. If the patient reports no cost barriers but hints at difficulty managing regimens, then functional or cognitive problems or poor nutritional status might be considered next. But cost and access are a frequent, modifiable starting point in understanding why adherence falters.

The main issue is that financial barriers and access problems often drive medication nonadherence in older adults. When on a fixed income or with limited prescription coverage, the cost of multiple medications, co-pays, and related expenses can lead a patient to skip doses or stop refills altogether.

In the assessment, the nurse should explore affordability and access: whether the patient has adequate insurance or coverage, the out-of-pocket cost of medications, the ability to pay for prescriptions, and practical barriers like getting to the pharmacy, obtaining refills, or inconsistent supply. These are the most actionable and common factors to identify first.

If the patient reports no cost barriers but hints at difficulty managing regimens, then functional or cognitive problems or poor nutritional status might be considered next. But cost and access are a frequent, modifiable starting point in understanding why adherence falters.