1. China should emphasize key issues inherent in rational medication management for the elderly
- Author
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Wenhui Wu, Yu Cao, Qi Tang, Jun Lu, Gang Chen, and Cao Wang
- Subjects
China ,Health (social science) ,Medication Therapy Management ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Population ,Staffing ,Pharmacists ,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Promotion (rank) ,Nursing ,Humans ,Medicine ,education ,Referral and Consultation ,Socioeconomic status ,Disease burden ,Aged ,media_common ,Polypharmacy ,Service (business) ,education.field_of_study ,business.industry ,Censuses ,General Medicine ,Clinical pharmacy ,030220 oncology & carcinogenesis ,030211 gastroenterology & hepatology ,business - Abstract
According to China's Seventh National Census, 18.70% of a total of 1.41 billion people were 60 or older and 13.50% were 65 or older, so China's population is increasingly aging. In conjunction with China's socioeconomic and scientific and technological development and its promotion of medical insurance-related policies, rational medication management for the elderly is a concern in order to control the risk of polypharmacy. This paper summarizes and discusses the following five key issues inherent in rational medication management: i) an increase in serious polypharmacy and the potential risks of medication; ii) a lack of medication consultation service and medication withdraw without healthcare providers' supervision; iii) poor medication compliance among the elderly; iv) insufficient quantity and incompetence of pharmaceutical staffing; and v) limited awareness of pharmaceutical services and lack of trust in the ability of pharmacists. Based on a discussion of factors influencing these issues, suggestions have been put forward in the hopes that China emphasizes rational medication management in order to reduce the risk of polypharmacy and the disease burden of the elderly in China.
- Published
- 2021