Knowledge of and compliance with drug regimens in the elderly.

In an interview study of 545 patients recently discharged from The Johns Hopkins Hospital, data were collected on the patients' knowledge of their diseases, knowledge of drug purpose, and compliance with the prescribed drug regimen. The interrelationships of these variables were compared in patients under age 65 and patients aged 65 or older. Age-related factors and trends were sufficiently important to warrant further investigation. Knowledge of and compliance with drug regimens may reflect doctor-patient relationships. Understanding the patterns of drug use offers a potential for appropriate strategies in clinical practice.