Do older adults know the purpose of their medications? A survey among community-dwelling people.

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_C8B673B24B74
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Do older adults know the purpose of their medications? A survey among community-dwelling people.
Journal
European journal of clinical pharmacology
Author(s)
Hoisnard L., Santos-Eggimann B., Chauvin P., Hiance-Delahaye A., Herr M.
ISSN
1432-1041 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
0031-6970
Publication state
Published
Issued date
02/2019
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
75
Number
2
Pages
255-263
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article
Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
This study assessed the level of knowledge among community-dwelling older individuals about the purpose of medications and the characteristics that influenced that knowledge. We focused on drugs frequently used and/or often involved in iatrogenic events.
This cross-sectional survey included 2690 community-dwelling older adults, aged 68 years and above, who reported using at least one drug of interest, in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland. Participants reported drugs that they currently used and described their purpose. A good knowledge level was defined as knowledge of the exact purpose or identification of the anatomical system or organ targeted by the drug. We performed a multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify factors associated with a good knowledge level for all drugs of interest. Sampling weights were employed to provide representative estimates.
On average, patients had good knowledge of 80.6% of the drugs reported. The highest knowledge levels were demonstrated for non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs, antidiabetics, analgesics, and endocrinological drugs and the lowest for platelet aggregation inhibitors, minerals, anticoagulants, and other narrow therapeutic index drugs. Overall, 66% of participants had good knowledge of the purpose of all the drugs of interest. Polypharmacy and receiving help with drug management were negatively associated with good knowledge (adjusted OR <sub>4-5 drugs</sub> 0.45; 95% CI 0.29-0.71, adjusted OR <sub>≥ 6 drugs</sub> 0.20; 95% CI 0.13-0.31, and adjusted OR <sub>help</sub> 0.42; 95% CI 0.18-0.99).
This study showed that education about drugs was lacking among patients that received multiple drugs, particularly patients that used anticoagulants and antiplatelet inhibitors.
Keywords
Drugs, Knowledge, Old people, Primary care, Therapeutic education
Pubmed
Web of science
Create date
29/10/2018 16:28
Last modification date
20/08/2019 16:43
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