Drug consumption among elderly--a four-year study

The aim of the study was to analyse whether a radical structural change in the provision of care for the elderly, including changes in the pattern of drug administration, might influence drug consumption among residents in a Danish nursing home. A comprehensive reorganization of the care of the residents took place in the mid-1980s. The general approach to self-care, with greater autonomy and influence over one's own life was also disseminated to the area of administration of medication. Previously the nurses had been responsible for this area but a new model was introduced in 1986 in principle permitting all residents to be in charge of their own medication. The study was carried out as a survey over four consecutive years from 1985 to 1988, and included 48 residents in a nursing home of whom 24 participated in all four surveys. A minimum of drugs were administered immediately after the change in regimen. Although a slight increase was recorded in the subsequent years, the level of drug consumption did not reach pre-intervention levels. The total number of regularly administered drugs per day in survey 1 averaged 4.6 drugs/person. In survey 2 this had decreased to average 3.6 (p < 0.05).