June Tordoff|Michael Bagge|Andrew Gray|Alastair V. Campbell|P Norris
Medicine-taking practices in community-dwelling people aged &gt;=75 years in New Zealand
University of Otago|University of Otago|University of Otago|University of Otago|University of Otago
older people experience chronic medical conditions younger people take prescription medicines likely suffer cognitive memory problems older people susceptible adverse effects medicines may reduce quality life lead hospitalisation deaththis study aims identify medicinetaking practices amongst communitydwelling people aged 75 years new zealandthis study carried urban setting dunedin population 120000 new zealand interviews random sample people electoral roll using structured questionnaire conducted subjects communitydwelling people aged 75 years taking one prescription medicines random sample 810 people extracted electoral roll intended recruit 300 participants 524 people met study criteria invited participate people living rest home hospital contactable telephone deceased excluded responses analysed medicines categorised anatomical therapeutic chemical classification adherence classed high medium low using modified fouritem morisky medication adherence scale univariate multivariate linear logistic regression applied combinations variablesin total 316 interviews undertaken 61 response rate participants 7579 35 8084 40 85 years 25 new zealand europeaneuropean 84 new zealanders 14 maori 2 141 45 lived alone almost half 49 regularly saw specialist third 34 admitted hospital past 12 months participants used median seven prescription medicines range 119 one nonprescription medicine 014 majority 58 believed medicines effective systemsroutines 92 remembering take doses tended missed following change routine eg holiday men likely report trouble remembering women odds ratio 186 95 confidence interval 110314 p 0020 seventyfive percent people high medium adherence scores 25 low scores common problems reading understanding labels 9 4 respectively leaflets 12 6 difficulty swallowing solid dose forms 14 6 problems paying medicines around 17 wanted know medicines people confused medicines following hospital dischargeoverall communitydwelling people aged 75 years study appeared manage medicines well found affordable nevertheless need improve labelling leaflets education medicines particularly hospital discharge