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Factors associated with polypharmacy in primary care: a cross-sectional analysis of data from The English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA)
- Source :
- BMJ Open
- Publication Year :
- 2018
- Publisher :
- BMJ Publishing Group, 2018.
-
Abstract
- ObjectivesWhile older age and ill health are known to be associated with polypharmacy, this paper aims to identify whether wealth, body mass index (BMI), smoking and alcohol consumption are also associated with polypharmacy (5–9 prescribed medications) and hyperpolypharmacy prevalence (≥10 prescribed medications), among older people living in England.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingThe English Longitudinal Study of Ageing Wave 6 (2012–2013).Participants7730 participants aged over 50 years.Data synthesisTwo multivariate models were created. HR with corresponding 95% CI, for polypharmacy and hyperpolypharmacy, were calculated after adjusting for gender, age, wealth, smoking, alcohol consumption, BMI, self-rated health and the presence of a chronic health condition.ResultsLower wealth (lowest wealth quintile vs highest wealth quintile, adjusted HR 1.28; 95% CI 1.04 to 1.69, P=0.02) and obesity (adjusted HR 1.81; 95% CI 1.53 to 2.15, p5 times per week) was inversely associated with polypharmacy (never drank alcohol vs very frequently, adjusted HR 0.64; 95% CI 0.52 to 0.78, pConclusionThis study has identified that lower wealth, obesity, increasing age and chronic health conditions are significantly associated with polypharmacy and hyperpolypharmacy prevalence. The effect of these factors, on polypharmacy and especially hyperpolypharmacy prevalence, is likely to become more pronounced with the widening gap in UK wealth inequalities, the current obesity epidemic and the growing population of older people. The alcohol findings contribute to the debate on the relationship between alcohol consumption and health.
- Subjects :
- pharmacy
Male
Longitudinal study
demography
Aging
longitudinal
Alcohol Drinking
Cross-sectional study
Health Status
Population
030204 cardiovascular system & hematology
Body Mass Index
RS
older people
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Risk Factors
medicine
Humans
030212 general & internal medicine
Longitudinal Studies
polypharmacy
education
Aged
Polypharmacy
Aged, 80 and over
education.field_of_study
Primary Health Care
business.industry
Research
Smoking
General Medicine
Middle Aged
medicine.disease
Obesity
Cross-Sectional Studies
England
Socioeconomic Factors
Ageing
Chronic Disease
Female
Public Health
Older people
business
Body mass index
Demography
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 20446055
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- BMJ Open
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....fb4a4501149da6bd7d2cdf7dd94c743d