[Drug use and self-perceived health as reported by community-dwelling elderly persons in Hamburg]

Self-perceived health as reported by elderly persons is of prognostic value and corresponds with morbidity and mortality. In the present study, information about the utilisation of medication, visits to the doctor, and self-perceived health was provided by standardised self-reports. The study sample included 804 independent community-dwelling persons 60 years and older. These persons were recruited from the patient lists of 14 general practices in Hamburg. Exclusion criteria were dementive disorders and the need of personal care. On average, there were 3 prescribed drugs and 1 over-the-counter medication per person. The number of medications corresponds to a mean of 2 chronic disorders. Almost 50% of the participants reported suffering from pain, with more than one-third rating their pain intensity as moderate or high. Furthermore, nearly half of the study population stated their self-reported health as moderate or poor, and one-fifth reported symptoms of depressed mood. There were discrepancies between the reports of pain or depressed mood and the corresponding use of medication. It seems that self-reported symptoms and self-perceived health in elderly persons should be considered more often in drug prescribing.