Self-administered medication-risk questionnaire in an elderly population

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Medication-related problems (MRPs) pose a significant risk to the elderly population.
• Identifying at-risk individuals is crucial for proactive intervention and improved patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and validate a 10-item self-administered questionnaire for identifying elderly patients at increased risk of MRPs.
• To assess the questionnaire's feasibility, reliability, and validity in an older adult population.

Main Methods:

• Forty participants aged 60 years and older, taking at least two prescription drugs, completed the questionnaire.
• Data collection involved patient interviews, record reviews, and drug regimen reviews (DRRs).
• Feasibility, inter-rater reliability, test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and validity were assessed.

Main Results:

• The questionnaire demonstrated high inter-rater reliability (r = 0.847) and significant test-retest reliability (kappa > 0.6 for all questions).
• Internal consistency was acceptable (alpha = 0.69).
• A significant correlation was found between the number of 'yes' answers and higher DRR severity scores (p < 0.001), indicating validity.

Conclusions:

• The self-administered questionnaire is a feasible tool for identifying elderly patients potentially at increased risk of MRPs.
• Clinicians can utilize a modified version for screening older adults in ambulatory care settings, prompting medication reviews.