This study was done to investigate status of polypharmacy and inappropriate medications use of the elderly of in nursing homes. The subjects of this study were 270 elderly people in the nursing homes of G city and K city, In this study, the medications were classified by Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) code, polypharmacy was defined as taking medications more than five, and inappropriate medications use were identified by Beers criteria. Data was analyzed by using descriptive statistics, t-test and one-way ANOVA. Total number of drug types in this study was the average 6.1±2.6. The subjects with polypharmacy were 193(71.5%), and with inappropriate medications use were 138(51.1%).There was a significant difference in the polypharmacy according to the number of diseases(p<.001) and in the inappropriate medications use according to age(p=.018). Baesd on this study, polypharmacy and inappropriate medications use of elderly people were main problems that need to carefully assess for safe and correct medication usage in nursing home. Therefore, an ongoing medication monitoring system is necessary to minimize the adverse drug reactions of elderly.

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Purpose: This study aimed to define and clarify the concept of medication adherence in the elderly with chronic diseases. Methods: This study employed the hybrid model of Schwartz-Barcott and Kim (2000), which consists of three phases: an initial theoretical phase, a fieldwork phase and a final analytical phase. In the fieldwork stage, data were collected from interviews of 11 elderly people taking prescription medications for one or more chronic diseases in G city. Results: Concept of medication adherence in the elderly with chronic diseases was identified as four dimensions and seven attributes in the final analytical phase: 1) cognitive dimension: mindfulness of taking medication, 2) psychological dimension: expectation of medication, acceptance of taking medication effect, 3) behavioral dimension: spontaneity of taking medication, practice according to prescription or instructions, persistence of taking medication, 4) interpersonal: interaction with healthcare professional. Conclusion: This conceptual analysis improves the understanding of the concept of medication adherence in the elderly with chronic diseases, and could be used as a basis for the development of a measurement tool and nursing intervention of medication adherence in the elderly.