The Role of Training and Medication Reminder Wristwatch in Adherence to Treatment in Geriatric Patients Diagnosed With Hypertension: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the training and medication reminder wristwatch on treatment adherence in geriatric patients diagnosed with hypertension. Methods: In this study, which was conducted as a randomized clinical trial with a pretest-posttest design, 90 patients were randomly divided into the training and medication reminder wristwatch (W) group (n = 30) group, the training (T) group (n = 30), and the control (C) group (n = 30). All patients answered the data collection forms before and after the interventions. Results: By the end of the 12th week, the mean knowledge scores of the groups significantly differed from each other (t = -13.207, P < 0.001). The mean Hypertension Compliance Assessment Scale score of the W group was found to be significantly lower (t = 22.732, P < 0.001). The highest mean Medication Adherence Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form score was found in the W group (t = -13.560, P < 0.001). In the posttest, the mean systolic blood pressure values of the patients were 142.7 +/- 11.1 in the C group, 126.0 +/- 13.0 mm Hg in the T group, and 120.0 +/- 9.5 mm Hg in the W group (Kruskal-Wallis test = 38.065, P < 0.05). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that 12 weeks of a training program and the use of medication reminder wristwatches were effective in adherence to treatment.