Processing of Medical information in Aging Patients

This volume focuses on understanding the impact of age-related decline in cognitive abilities on medical decisions and compliance with medical instructions. It examines how medical information and the medical environment can be restructured to accommodate the decreased cognitive function associated with aging. Although the issues discussed in this book are of critical importance in providing effective health care, they have been largely neglected in the national debate over provision of health care for the increasingly aging population. It is essential that we begin to understand how to present information so that informed choices are made and patients comprehend well enough that they can follow their treatment regimens and understand the importance of those regimens. Divided into four major sections, this volume addresses the following issues: * the implications of cognitive aging for medical information processing; * aging and medical decision making; * aging and medication adherence; and * human factors design for medical devices and instructions.

Roger W. Morrell (Edited by) ,  Kim Shifren (Edited by) ,  Denise Park (Edited by) ,  Denise Park (Edited by)

Contents: Part I:Introduction.D.C. Park, Aging and the Controlled and Automatic Processing of Medical Information and Medical Intentions. J.B. Halter, The Challenge of Communicating Health Information to Elderly Patients: A View From Geriatric Medicine. Part II:Medical Decision Making.J.F. Yates, A.L. Patalano, Decision Making and Aging. M.D. Zwahr, Cognitive Processes and Medical Decisions. G.M. Williamson, D.J. Jones, L.A. Ingram, Medical and Psychosocial Predictors of Breast Cancer Treatment Decisions. N. Schwarz, Frequency Reports of Physical Symptoms and Health Behaviors: How the Questionnaire Determines the Results. D. Marson, L. Harrell, Neurocognitive Changes Associated With Loss of Capacity to Consent to Medical Treatment in Patients With Alzheimer's Disease. V.L. Patel, J.F. Arocha, Medical Expertise and Cognitive Aging. Part III:Medication Adherence.E.A. Leventhal, H. Leventhal, C. Robitaille, S. Brownlee, Psychosocial Factors in Medication Adherence: A Model of the Modeler. O.N. Gould, Cognition and Affect in Medication Adherence. R.W. Morrell, K. Shifren, Issues in the Measurement of Medication Adherence. S.L. Willis, M.M. Dolan, R.M. Bertrand, Problem Solving on Health-Related Tasks of Daily Living. Part IV:Human Factors.M.S. Bogner, How Do I Work This Thing? Cognitive Issues in Home Medical Equipment Use and Maintenance. J. Hartley, What Does It Say? Text Design, Medical Information, and Older Adults. D. Morrow, V.O. Leirer, Designing Medication Instructions for Older Adults. W.A. Rogers, G.K. Rousseau, N. Lamson, Maximizing the Effectiveness of the Warning Process: Understanding the Variables That Interact With Age. M.S. Wogalter, R.J. Sojourner, Research on Pharmaceutical Labeling: An Information Processing Approach.