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Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults With Multimorbidity in Taiwan
Betty Chia-Chen Chang1,2, I-Hua Lai2, Yee-Yung Ng3
1Department of Family Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan.
Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety
|August 30, 2024
Summary
Potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use is highly prevalent in older adults with multiple chronic conditions in Taiwan. Both patient and prescriber factors contribute to PIM use, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to improve medication safety.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Pharmacology
- Public Health
Background:
- Medication-related problems are a significant concern for older adults with multimorbidity, increasing risks of adverse health outcomes.
- Polypharmacy and complex disease conditions in this demographic exacerbate medication safety challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use in older adults with multimorbidity in Taiwan.
- To identify patient-related and prescriber-related factors associated with PIM use in this population.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database for patients aged 65+ with multimorbidity and outpatient prescriptions in 2018.
- Definition of PIM use based on the 2019 Beers criteria.
- Application of multiple logistic regression to identify associated factors.
Main Results:
- A high prevalence of PIM use (85.6%) was observed in 2,432,416 older adults with multimorbidity.
- Patient factors (age, sex, chronic diseases, visit frequency) and prescriber factors (physician characteristics, setting, medication count, prior PIM use) were significantly associated with PIM use.
Conclusions:
- Potentially inappropriate medication use is widespread among older adults with multimorbidity in Taiwan.
- Addressing both patient and prescriber factors is crucial for enhancing medication quality and safety in this vulnerable population.
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