國內人品結構高齡化及社會組織和倫理觀念的變遷，使老人對於安養照護機構的需求逐漸改變。由於老人的高羅病率導致高用藥率，造成不當用藥的機會大增，然而，遵醫囑服藥行為對老人來說，是一種長期且持續性的生病角色行為，受到身體功能、認知、經驗等多重因素的影響。本研究的目的為瞭解自費安養機構老人遵醫囑服藥行為與影響老人遵醫囑服藥行為的相關因素。
本研究針對四所安養機構的138位老人，以問卷進行面對面的訪談。所收集到的資料以SPSS PC＋之卡方檢定與逐步區別分析進行處理。
研究結果發現自費安養機構的用老人普遍罹患三至四种疾病，平均每人每天服用4.32種（10.62顆）處方藥，遵醫囑服藥率佔70..3%；而非遵醫囑服藥的原因多半是因為症狀已改善、覺得藥吃多了不好或害怕副作用與不良反應而自行增減服藥的劑量與次數，或因為忘記、外出不便或身體狀況不佳、生活型態改變導致錯過應該服藥的時間。而知道自己漏服藥物後，多半老人的反應是不再補吃。
由逐步區別分析，發現預測老人遵醫囑服藥行為的重要變項依序為：用藥經驗、醫藥處方、固定用藥時間否、有無保險、疾病狀況、用藥種類數、教育程度、社會支持、一日醫囑規定服藥總顆數、用藥來源等，可解釋依變項全部變異量的39.4%，可正確預測遵醫囑服藥行為之命中率為80.6%。
在老人用藥教育的實務上，安養機構要負擔部分的責任；老人建議安養機構的協助方法，包括經費的籌措、專業人員與設備的充實、以院內廣播宣導、老人互相提醒、工作人員叮嚀來避免忘記服藥，對於日常活動能力較差的老人則協助就醫、代理拿藥、包藥發藥並觀察其服藥的反應，請醫生駐診、指導用藥及提供藥物咨詢，最受到強調的乃是院方真誠地關心及巡視，扮演較主動積極的角色。
在老人用藥的教育上，最適合的內容依次為所用藥物的作用與副作用、用藥的方法與禁忌、記得按時服藥的方法；最適合老人的教育途徑，依次為詢問醫療專業人員、看電視、報紙刊載等方式；最適合指導老人用藥的是醫師，其次為護理人員。
本研究結果可提供安養機構工作人員及衛生領域的專業人員迅速評估安養機構老人遵醫囑服藥的情形，以適時地給予個別性、整體性的用藥指導或教育。

Due to the acceleration of the aging population in Taiwan and the changes in society's structure and ethics, the needs for nursing homes for the aged in Taiwan is greater than ever before. High morbidity of the elderly results in a high rate of medication taking, therefore, proportionally, the misuse of drugs is increasing. However, for the aged group the compliance of medication taking can be seen as a long term continuous sick-rol behavior that can be affected by physical function. cognition. experience and many other unrecognized factors. The puposes of this research was to find factors affecting the compliance behavior of medication taking in the self-provided elderly persons in nursing homes.
One hundred thirty-eight elderly people were interviewed, selectively, from four nursing homes. Data was analyzed by chi-square test and discriminant analysis.
The result of this study revealed that most of the elderly persons suffered from 3 to 4 chronic diseases. An average of 4.32 medications (10.62 tablets) were taken by elderly person per day. The rate of compliance behavior of medication taking for the elderly is 70.3%. The most common reasons for noncomplian were in order as follows: symptoms improved, fear of taking medicine excessively, fear of side effects and adverse reactions forgetting to take medicine, transportation inconvenience or physical discomfort, and missing the time for taking medication When they know they omitted the medication self ommission of taking drugs, the common reaction of the aged is “Let it go or forget it!”. Ten factors were signficantly related to the elderly compliance of medication taking: compliance experience, therapeutic regimen, regular time for taking medicine, health insurance, illness status, numbers of medication use, educational level, social support, number of daily prescribed pills, sources of medication and soon. These reasons explain 39.4% 0f the variavces of elderly people's compliance of medication taking, and 80.6% of the cases were correctly classified.
As for the medication education of the elderly persons. self-provided care nursing homes must take some responsibilities. Suggestions by the elderly persons were financial support, professional and equip-ment, system of old people reminding one another, worker's reminders to prevent ommison, helping the low-ADL aged fetch medication for the homebound group, wrapping, distributing, observing the person's reachtion after taking medication, asking doctors to set up a clinic, medication education and counselling.
As for the need of medication education for elderly, the most important contents are as following: (1) medication effects and side effects; (2) method and restriction in the use of drugs; and (3) taking medicine on time. The best avenue to provide medication education is to ask medical professionals, watch TV or read newspapers etc. The best persons to consult with were doctors and nurses.
The result of this study suggests that medical professionals assess elderly person compliance of medication taking as well as to provide the elderly persons with comprehensive and integrated medication education.