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Learning Objective 1: To learn levels of medication adherence and medication knowledge among the medical aid beneficiaries who have multiple diseases and overly utilized health care services.
Learning Objective 2: To learn factors affecting medication adherence and medication knowledge among the medical aid beneficiaries who have multiple diseases and overly utilized health care services.
Methods: Case managers in 253 local offices collected data through interview from 448 beneficiaries across Korea in March, 2011. The instrument included general characteristics, chronic disease categories, and medication adherence motivation and medication knowledge measured using the Modified Morisky Scale (MMS; Morisky et al., 1983). The MMS includes three questions on medication adherence motivation, and three questions on medication knowledge, and is measured with nominal scale (0=yes, 1=no). A score below 2 out of the 3 questions indicates low motivation and/or low knowledge. Decisional balance regarding medication adherence was measured with two pros and two cons questions, while general self-efficacy was measured with the instrument developed by Sherer et al. (1982). Decisional balance and self-efficacy were measured with 5 point Likert scales. Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, chi-square test, t-test, and logistic regression analysis.
Results: The results indicated that 36.8% (n=165) of the beneficiaries were in their 70s, and 74.8% (335) were women. Thirty-five percent (n=155) and 26.8% (n=120) of the beneficiaries had low medication motivation and low medication knowledge. Logistic regression analysis illustrated that those with diabetes, and lower cons for medication adherence were more likely to have appropriate medication knowledge (p<.05), while divorced, those with higher cons for medication adherence, and lower self-efficacy were more likely to have low medication motivation (p<05).
Conclusion: Case managers should be aware that one-third of the medical aid beneficiaries had low medication motivation and low medication knowledge, and try to bridge the gap in medication knowledge and enhance motivation through case management services considering factors of medication motivation and knowledge.