Researchers Find Real-Time Information From Drug-Monitoring Systems Improves Regimen Adherence
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Most people want to take medications as prescribed, even if they sometimes need a little help remembering. According to HCII researchers, an automated system that monitors drug taking and provides feedback after the fact may be more useful than one that nags people when it is time to take a pill.
In a 10-month study of such a system in the homes of older adults with chronic health problems, the researchers found that adherence to a medication regimen improved when people had ready access to a digital display of their medication-taking record. These people were more likely to take the correct medication promptly and at the same time of day than people who didn’t receive the ongoing feedback.
What’s important is that people feel that they are in control of their medication habits and that they obtain information that enables them to make improvements if necessary, said HCII Associate Professor Anind Dey. He and co-author Matthew Lee, an HCII grad now at Philips Research North America, will present their findings on April 30 at the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems in Toronto.
Read more about their work here.