Knowledge And Practices Used By Old Age Patients To Control Polypharmacy

Research Abstract

Background: Older people now constitute more than 60% of the world’s population. The elderly population suffers from chronic diseases and multimorbidity and is treated with an increasing number of drugs that result in Polypharmacy. Polypharmacy was defined as per a systematic review conducted in 2017 as the concurrent use of five or more different prescription medications. Aim: This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge regarding Polypharmacy among older patients and assess the alternative practices used by old-age patients to control Polypharmacy. Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used. Subjects & Setting: The sample size was 114 elderly patients selected from outpatient clinics monthly. Tools: (1) Questionnaire to assess geriatric patient's Polypharmacy’s knowledge, (2) Checklist to assess poly pharmacy’s alternative practices. Results: two-thirds of the study sample (66.7%) took medication based on their previous experience. More than half of the study sample (57%) depended on the pharmacist's prescription, and about half of the sample referred to friends 'advice. In comparison, nearly half of the study sample (44.7%) took medication based on the experience of a family member (32.5 %) were aware of the meaning of Polypharmacy. In comparison (23.7%) were aware of the Polypharmacy contributing factors. Conclusion: The study concluded that; the prevalence of Polypharmacy and its consequences among the elderly are significantly related to the level of education. Recommendations: designing an educational program for the elderly, aiming to increase their awareness and knowledge and maintain a healthy lifestyle; Activating the role of health educators during inpatient discharge and within outpatient services to promote the use of non-drug methods.

Research Keywords

Polypharmacy, Old age, Adverse drug reactions (ADR), Knowledge & Practices