Polypharmacy among Underserved Older African American Adults

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Polypharmacy is a growing concern among older adults, particularly those in underserved communities.
• Older African Americans face unique challenges in managing multiple medications due to socioeconomic and healthcare access factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the factors associated with polypharmacy in community-dwelling older African American adults.
• To identify correlates of high medication use and potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use in this population.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 400 underserved older African Americans in South Los Angeles.
• Data collected through structured face-to-face interviews on medication details and participant characteristics.
• Multivariate analysis to determine correlates of polypharmacy.

Main Results:

• 75% of participants used at least five medications daily; 30% used ten or more.
• 38% received prescriptions from three or more providers, with 70% exhibiting inappropriate drug use.
• The number of healthcare providers was the strongest correlate of polypharmacy, alongside gender, comorbidity, and PIM use.

Conclusions:

• High rates of polypharmacy and PIM use were observed in underserved older African Americans.
• Strong associations exist between polypharmacy, PIMs, comorbidities, and multiple providers.
• Urgent need for strategies to reduce polypharmacy and PIMs in underserved elderly minority groups, addressing potential medication management issues.