2023 Volume 6 Issue 3 Pages 52-58
Aim: The purpose of the study was to determine possible alternative indicators of the ability to open pouches of one-dose packages from among activities of daily living to assess skillfulness in fingers and hands that can be verified orally.
Methods: Inpatients aged 65 years or higher who were being dispensed medications in one-dose packages were included in this study. The patients’ hand grip strength was measured using a grip strength meter. Pinch strength in both hands was measured using a pinch strength-measuring device. The patients’ responses to questions on activities of daily living related to hand dexterity and opening of pouches of one-dose packages were scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Multiple regression analysis was performed using the stepwise method, with the objective variable being the response score for the question on the opening of the pouches of one-dose packages and the explanatory variables being survey items that were significant in the correlation analysis using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient.
Results: We analyzed data from 22 patients included in this study, whose median age was 81 years. The factor that was identified as influencing the openability score for the pouches of one-dose packages was the chopsticks use score (β＝0.615, P＝0.002).
Conclusion: We found an association between chopsticks use and the opening of pouches of one-dose packages. Furthermore, evaluation of chopsticks use was suggested to be a possible alternative indicator of the ease of opening pouches of one-dose packages in elderly patients.
