Assessing the Acceptability of the Minnesota Effective Medication Self-Management Toolkit Four-Step Approach in Low-Income Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Objective To assess the acceptability and perceived utility of the Minnesota Effective Medication Self-Management Toolkit (MEMSMT) four-step approach among participants in the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Mobile Health and Wellness Program (MHWP). Methods Student pharmacist-led focus groups explored medication-related challenges faced by older adults and the perceived utility of the MEMSMT. Participants were recruited from four affordable senior apartment communities served by MHWP. Demographic characteristics of participants were collected and summarized using descriptive statistics. After an explanation of the four-step approach, participants shared their experiences with medication self-management. They then completed the Medication Self-Management Self-Efficacy Checklist and were asked, "Do you believe that the Minnesota Effective Medication Self-Management Toolkit's four-step approach can help individuals successfully manage their medications?" Comments regarding medication issues were documented and categorized according to the four aspects of self-medication management evaluated by the MEMSMT: indication, effectiveness, safety, and convenience of use. This study was approved as exempt research by Virginia Commonwealth University's Institutional Review Board (IRB), protocol HM20029554, titled "Effective Medication Self-Management at Low-Income Senior Housing." Results Five focus groups included 40 participants who took an average of 7.5 ± 5.2 medications daily. Most participants were Black (85%), female (70%), and had low health literacy (44%). The average age of participants was 72.2 years (SD ± 7.1). Examples of medication challenges were categorized as related to indication, effectiveness, safety, or convenience. Based on responses to the Medication Self-Management Self-Efficacy Checklist, participants expressed high confidence in their medication self-management skills. A vast majority of participants (94%) reported that using the MEMSMT four-step approach can help individuals successfully self-manage their medications. Conclusion Participants perceive the four-step process in the MEMSMT as a useful approach to improving medication self-management among residents of low-income senior apartment communities in the Richmond metropolitan area. Further evaluation of the Medication Self-Management Self-Efficacy Checklist is warranted.