Assessment of Older Adults' Knowledge and Attitudes towards Polypharmacy

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 B. Sc in Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Mansoura University, Egypt

2 Gerontological Nursing Department , Faculty of Nursing, Mansoura University, Egypt

Abstract

Background: Oder adults are more prone to polypharmacy that much more complex than just the number of
medications. Poor medication knowledge can have a negative impact on medication adherence and patient safety. Older
adult's attitudes about medications are a major determinant of patients’ behaviors. Aim: Assess older adults' knowledge
and attitudes towards polypharmacy. Design: Descriptive cross sectional design was used .Setting: This study was
conducted at health insurance and health maintenance expense pharmacies in Bany Ebied Specialty hospital and Dikrnes
General hospital in Dakahlia Governorate. Subjects: A purposive sample of 352 geriatric patients with polypharmacy
was enrolled in the study. Tools: Data was collected using 3 tools; Demographic data and Medications information,
Medication Knowledge evaluation questionnaire and Patients' Attitudes towards Deprescribing questionnaire. Results:
Age of the studied older adults' patients ranged from 60 to 89 years, with a mean age of 68.35±6.017 year, males were
more prevalent. Among the studied older adults 63.1%have insufficient knowledge about their medication. Majority of
older adult patients(65.9%) agree with feeling having a large amount of medication, 69.6% not agree with feeling
comfort with the number of their medications and 67.0% of older adults would to stop one or more of their medication
to pay fewer. In addition, a strong negative correlation was found between older adult age and mean of knowledge
(P=.000**)and positive correlation was found between educational level and mean of knowledge(P= .000**), there is no
statistical significant relation was found between willing to deprescribe and older adult age (P= .348). Conclusion:
Older adults knowledge about their medications was low and majority of them would to stop one or more of their
medication. Recommendation: Designing an educational program for improving understanding of the pharmacotherapy
should be implemented with the use of designs, colors and symbols to improve older adults' knowledge and attitudes
about pharmacotherapy.
 

Keywords

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics