Abstract
BACKGROUND: Medication adherence is a critical determinant of treatment outcomes and prognosis in patients. This study aims to investigate the current status and influencing factors of medication adherence among elderly ophthalmic patients during the transition from hospital to home, thereby providing evidence-based support for clinical treatment and nursing. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted involving elderly patients who underwent ophthalmic surgery at our hospital between February 2024 and February 2025. To evaluate patients' medication adherence, the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) was administered. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to examine the associations between patients' demographic characteristics and their levels of medication adherence. Additionally, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were utilized to identify factors influencing medication adherence among elderly ophthalmic patients. RESULTS: A total of 248 elderly ophthalmic patients were included in the study. The prevalence of poor medication adherence was 45.97% (114/248). Pearson correlation analyses indicated that age (r = 0.587), educational level (r = 0.619), average monthly household income (r = 0.624), number of medications taken (r = 0.596), and total daily medication frequency (r = 0.642) were significantly correlated with poor adherence. Logistic regression analysis revealed that increased age (AOR = 2.751, 95% CI: 2.262-3.425), lower educational level (AOR = 2.406, 95% CI: 1.966-3.414), lower average monthly household income (AOR = 3.031, 95% CI: 2.637-3.742), higher number of medications taken (AOR = 2.925, 95% CI: 2.541-3.326), and greater total daily medication frequency (AOR = 3.446, 95% CI: 2.736-3.808) were independently associated with poorer medication adherence (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that elderly ophthalmic patients often exhibit poorer medication adherence following discharge. These findings highlight the need for healthcare providers to enhance discharge medication counseling and strengthen follow-up efforts to ensure the safe and effective use of medications among elderly patients.