The role of training and medication reminder wristwatch in adherence to treatment in geriatric patients diagnosed with hypertension: A randomized controlled trial

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. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 1189–1195.