Common barriers to medication adherence in older adults include which of the following?

Common barriers to medication adherence in older adults include which of the following?

• A. Cost
• B. Transportation
• C. Health literacy
• D. All of the above

Answer: (D)

Managing medications in older adults is often complicated by several interacting barriers. Financial constraints can prevent filling or consistently taking prescriptions, since copays and overall medication costs may be prohibitive. Transportation issues—such as limited mobility, lack of a ride, or distance to the pharmacy—can make obtaining refills or new medications difficult, leading to gaps in therapy. Health literacy affects the ability to understand dosing schedules, instructions, and potential interactions, so misunderstandings can result in missed doses or incorrect administration. These barriers frequently occur together, amplifying the risk of nonadherence. Because cost, transportation, and health literacy all contribute to adherence problems, the best answer is all of the above.

Managing medications in older adults is often complicated by several interacting barriers. Financial constraints can prevent filling or consistently taking prescriptions, since copays and overall medication costs may be prohibitive. Transportation issues—such as limited mobility, lack of a ride, or distance to the pharmacy—can make obtaining refills or new medications difficult, leading to gaps in therapy. Health literacy affects the ability to understand dosing schedules, instructions, and potential interactions, so misunderstandings can result in missed doses or incorrect administration. These barriers frequently occur together, amplifying the risk of nonadherence. Because cost, transportation, and health literacy all contribute to adherence problems, the best answer is all of the above.