Table 1 Remembering strategies and incidents of forgetting reported by participants who completed the study (N = 38)
# | Age / gender | Previous medication-taking experience | Cues used during the study (location and objects; time or routine) | No. of missed tablets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
P1 | 19/F | Childhood; fish oil, herbal medicines | Desk, with toiletries; morning routine | 3–4 |
P2 | 20/M | Short-term; antibiotics | Desk; morning or afternoon | 1 |
P3 | 20/M | No experience | Many changes to find the right approach | 1 |
P4 | 29/M | Long-term; supplements, post-surgery | With wallet, keys, bike helmet; after coffee | 0 |
P5 | 20/F | Long-term; contraceptive pill | On a make-up table; morning routine | 1 |
P6 | 21/M | Childhood; vitamin C, supplements | Desk; whenever remembered | 10+ |
P7 | 19/M | Childhood; vitamin C | Next to tea cup; with evening meal | 1–2 |
P8 | 27/M | Long-term; vitamin C | Desk, with keys; morning | 2 |
P9 | 22/F | Currently taking; homeopathic pills | Desk; before leaving in the morning | 1–2 |
P10 | 19/F | Currently taking; contraceptive pilla | In a bag, with contraceptive pills; reminder | 0 |
P11 | 21/M | Short-term; antibiotics | By the bed, with keys and wallet | 0 |
P12 | 20/M | Childhood; herbal medicines | First on a chest of drawers, later inside | 10+ |
P13 | 29/F | Long-term; herbal medicines | In a bag; times varied | 2–3 |
P14 | 26/M | Long-term; malaria pills, multivitamins | By the bed; when getting dressed | 2–3 |
P15 | 25/M | Long-term; weight loss pills | Desk; in the morning | 0 |
P16 | 22/M | Short-term; antibiotics, painkillers | Bathroom; after brushing teeth | 0 |
P17 | 20/F | Childhood; herbal medicines | Desk; after breakfast | 0 |
P18 | 18/F | Short-term; cold and flu medicine | Tested a different approach each week | 4–5 |
P19 | 24/M | No experience | Bathroom; after brushing teeth | 7 |
P20 | 24/M | Long-term; herbal medicines | Kitchen, next to stove; with breakfast | 1–3 |
P21 | 23/M | Childhood; herbal medicines | Desk, next to laptop | 1–2 |
P22 | 22/F | Long-term; supplements | First in a bag, then on the desk | 2 |
P23 | 31/F | Long-term; fish oil, contraceptive pill | Tea cupboard; with morning tea | 5–6 |
P24 | 34/F | Currently taking; thyroid medicationsa | Jacket’s pocket; when needed a break | 5 |
P25 | 25/M | Long-term; supplements | Office desk’s drawer; at 11 am | 1 |
P26 | 24/F | Long-term; supplements | Shelf by the bed; morning | 0 |
P27 | 22/F | Childhood; multivitamins, supplements | Backpack; with laptop charger | 1 |
P28 | 20/F | Currently taking; contraceptive pilla | Drawer, with contraceptive pills; morning | 1–2b |
P29 | 19/M | Long-term; vitamin C, hay fever pills | Kitchen, medicine drawer; breakfast | 0b |
P30 | 26/F | Long-term; malaria pills, contraception | Backpack; whenever remembered | 1 |
P31 | 19/M | No experience | After dinner, before brushing teeth | 0 |
P32 | 24/M | Short-term; cold and flu medicines | Office desk; whenever remembered | 1 |
P33 | 28/F | Long-term; supplements, contraception | Bag; on a bus to work | 1b |
P34 | 21/F | Currently taking; contraceptive pill | With contraceptive pill, after alarm clock | 1 |
P35 | 19/M | Long-term; vitamin C | Next to bed; whenever remembered | 10 + b |
P36 | 21/M | Short-term; antibiotics | Next to phone; before leaving | 2 |
P38 | 20/F | Currently taking; herbal medicinesa | After breakfast; parents prepared | 4–5 |
P39 | 24/F | Long-term; contraceptive pill | Office desk; after coming to work | 4 |