2026 American Academy of Neurology Abstract Website

Objective:

To assess self-reported medication awareness in an adult neurology clinic and identify patient factors associated with lower awareness

Background:

Medication awareness underpins adherence and outcomes in neurology. Where polypharmacy is common, understanding who is at risk for low awareness can inform targeted, clinic-level interventions.

Design/Methods:

We performed an IRB approved, cross-sectional survey of consecutive adult neurology outpatients at a single center. Patients completed a structured, anonymous questionnaire at check-in (no PHI). Awareness was captured on a 4-level scale (“not really,” “less than half,” “more than half,” “all”) and secondarily collapsed to binary (full vs less-than-full) for inferential tests. Covariates included gender, education (grouped), income (binary), insurance (grouped), and recency of counseling (physician, pharmacist). Associations were tested with Pearson χ² or Fisher/Fisher–Freeman–Halton exact tests (α=0.05).

Results:

Overall, full medication awareness was high (86%). In gender analyses (valid n=196), men more frequently reported full awareness than women (≈96% vs 82%); this was significant by Fisher–Freeman–Halton exact test (p=0.017). Education showed no significant association with awareness (trend only). Recency of physician counseling (valid n=186) and pharmacist counseling (n=182) did not differentiate awareness (both p>0.15). Insurance category was not associated with awareness. Income was significantly associated with awareness (valid n=124): 84% with full awareness in the lower-income group vs 98% in the higher-income group (χ² p=0.025; Fisher p=0.033). Exact tests were used where expected counts were small; results were directionally consistent.

Conclusions:

In this clinic population, most patients demonstrated high medication awareness, but gender and income disparities persist, while recent counseling alone (physician or pharmacist) did not correlate with higher awareness. Interventions should prioritize lower-income patients and women, focusing on practical supports (e.g., medication lists, reminders, caregiver engagement) rather than counseling timing alone. Future work should validate awareness measures, assess health literacy/activation, and test targeted strategies to close these gaps.