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Many seniors flout physicians’ orders

Hospitalist Leadership Connection, February 21, 2007

study published in the January 2007 issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine asserts that 40% of senior citizens disobey their physicians' orders regarding medications they are prescribed.

The prohibitive costs of medications was a primary factor respondents cited for discontinuing a prescription. Others said they stopped a medication because they had doubts about its efficacy or were concerned about its side effects.

Most seniors who responded to the survey (68%) said they alerted their physician about the changes they made in their medication regimen.

To read an abstract of the study, click here.

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