A Nurse-Led Metamemory-Based Intervention to Improve Medication Adherence in Older Adults With H-Type Hypertension: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Gang Wu, Sixuan Li, Qiansheng Jin et al.
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In 30 seconds
This 12-week randomized controlled trial evaluated a nurse-led metamemory-based intervention in older adults with H-type hypertension. Seventy-six participants were assigned to the intervention or usual care; 71 completed the trial. The intervention combined face-to-face sessions with remote follow-up focused on memory strategies, self-monitoring, and medication-taking. Compared with usual care, participants receiving the intervention had greater improvement in medication adherence (mean change: 2.1 vs. 0.5; P < .001) and metamemory (mean change: 36.7 vs. 1.7; P < .001). Cognitive function, anxiety, quality of life, and self-management also improved significantly between groups.
Key findings
- Medication adherence improved more with the intervention than usual care (mean change: 2.1 vs. 0.5; P < .001).
- Metamemory improved more with the intervention (mean change: 36.7 vs. 1.7; P < .001).
- Between-group improvements were reported for cognitive function, anxiety, quality of life, and self-management (all P < .05).
- Changes in depressive symptoms were modest and not statistically significant.
Why it matters
Medication adherence in older adults may be affected by cognitive vulnerability and limited self-monitoring, not only by regimen complexity. This trial suggests that explicitly addressing memory strategies alongside adherence may improve several relevant outcomes in people with H-type hypertension. The findings add evidence for a potentially useful nursing intervention, while the short trial does not establish whether benefits persist over time.
What to keep in mind
The trial lasted 12 weeks, and 71 of 76 randomized participants completed it; longer-term persistence of the reported benefits is not established.