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Published on: April 22, 2022
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Polypharmacy among the elderly: a population-based study.
Karine Gonçalves Pereira1, Marco Aurélio Peres1,2, Débora Iop3
1Programa de Pós-graduação em Saúde Coletiva, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina - Florianópolis (SC), Brasil.
Summary
Polypharmacy affects 32% of elderly individuals in Florianopolis, Brazil. Female gender, older age, poor health, and recent medical visits are associated factors.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Public Health
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Polypharmacy, defined as the use of five or more medications, is a growing concern among the elderly population worldwide.
- Understanding the prevalence and associated factors of polypharmacy is crucial for developing targeted interventions to improve medication safety and health outcomes in older adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of polypharmacy among elderly individuals residing in urban Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
- To identify sociodemographic, health service utilization, and self-rated health status factors associated with polypharmacy in this population.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional, population-based study was conducted with 1,705 individuals aged 60 years and older.
- Polypharmacy was the dependent variable, defined as using five or more medications. Multivariate Poisson regression was used to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) for associated factors.
Main Results:
- The prevalence of polypharmacy was 32% (95% CI 29.8-34.3).
- Factors positively associated with polypharmacy included female gender (PR=1.27), increasing age (PR=1.38), negative self-rated health (PR=1.99), and recent medical appointments (PR=1.89).
- Cardiovascular, digestive, metabolic, and nervous system medications were most frequently used.
Conclusions:
- The medication use pattern in Florianopolis' elderly population aligns with the national average.
- The prevalence and associated factors of polypharmacy in this Brazilian urban setting are comparable to other regions in the country.
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