Investigation of Polypharmacy Prevalence and Affecting Factors in Patients Over 65 Years Presenting to Family Medicine Polyclinic of Rural District Hospital

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of polypharmacy in male and female patients over 65 years of age and to investigate its relationship with sociodemographic characteristics. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted between 1 May 2019 and 1 August 2019 through a face-to-face interview in patients aged 65 or above who applied to Gemerek State Hospital Family Medicine Clinics. The questionnaire prepared by the researchers following the literature review was applied by researchers. RESULTS: Mean age of this study including 358 individuals (n=198 women (55.3%) and n=160 men (44.70%) was 71.20 +- 6.60 years (range: 65-95). The incidence of polypharmacy was 38.78%. The proportion of women (44.42%) with polypharmacy was higher than that of men (31.89%), it was statistically significant (p<0.001). Aut of 9.09% among women did not use any drugs, while 24.37% of men did not use any drugs (p<0.001). The frequency of polypharmacy is not affected by marital status, income level, education level, place of residence, alcohol or smoking. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The main findings of the present study are that the polypharmacy is widely seen among elderly, more comman among women than men and having atleast a cronic desease an important risf factor for polypharmacy.

Keywords

• polypharmacy
• elderly
• family medicine
• geriatrics