Polypharmacy and self-medication among older adults in Indian urban communities—a cross-sectional study
Older adults are vulnerable to unsafe medication practices. This cross-sectional study estimated the prevalence and factors of polypharmacy and self-medication among 600 older adults from six Indian cities. The updated Screening Tool of Older Persons' Prescriptions and Screening Tool to Alert to Right Treatment criteria (version 3) were used. Knowledge, attitudes, and reported practices regarding self-medication were assessed. Descriptive statistics, binary logistic regression, and multivariable analysis were used. The prevalence of polypharmacy was 33.7% (95% CI 29.9-37.6%), with significant associations to multiple comorbidities [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.5 (95% CI 1.1-4.1)], recent transition of care [aOR 3.3 (95% CI 1.4-5.7)], and recent hospitalization [aOR 4.6 (95% CI 2-7.7)]. The proportions of prescriptions with potentially inappropriate medications and potential prescribing omissions were 28.8% (95% CI 25.2-32.6%) and 20.3% (95% CI 17.2-23.8%), respectively. The prevalence of self-medication was 19.7% (95% CI 16.6-23.1%), associated with factors, such as staying alone [aOR 4.5 (95% CI 2.4-6.6)], multiple comorbidities [aOR 3 (95% CI 1.4-6.7)], and recent hospitalization [aOR 4.8 (95% CI 1.5-8)]. Among those who self-medicated, 65.3% lacked knowledge of self-medication, 50% did not comprehend the risks, and 40.7% reported unsafe self-medication practices. The findings emphasize interventions' necessity for promoting safe medication use in older adults.
Authors
- Ishaq Ahmad (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0629-1713)
- Sabrina Yasmin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-0655-2514)
- Vishal Diwan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7948-8579)
- Most. Nasrin
- Rinku Borah
- Shweta Khare (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5879-7815)
- Saibal Das (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3153-4166)
- V. Prakash (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-0016-6785)
- Chetanjit Baruah (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1741-8396)
- Shalini Smanla
- Shambo Samrat Samajdar (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9199-0905)
- Parimita Roychoudhury
- Jerin Jose Cherian (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9548-7004)
- Jugal Kishore (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6246-5880)
- Manoj Kalita (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1257-2618)
- Samiran Panda (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5077-6275)
- Cecilia Stålsby Lundborg (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6525-1861)
- Ashish K. Pathak (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0143-7979)
- K. Sathish Kumar
- Santanu Kumar Tripathi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4494-7760)
- S. K. Mishra (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8522-0106)
- S. Arun Murugan
- Namita Srivastava (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9373-3312)
- J. Rajesh
- Anku Moni Saikia
- Mandeep Sarma Basistha
- Pavithra Gnanavel
Institutions
- Government Medical College (IN)
- Government Kilpauk Medical College (IN)
- Vardhman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjung Hospital (IN)
- Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Medical College (IN)
- Karolinska Institutet (SE)
- Ruxmaniben Deepchand Gardi Medical College (IN)
- Indian Council of Medical Research (IN)
- College of Medicine & JNM Hospital (IN)
- Institute of Medical Sciences (IN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Scientific Reports
- Published
- 2025-02-03
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-84627-2
- Citations
- 8
- Primary Topic
- Pharmaceutical Practices and Patient Outcomes
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 9.79
Funders
- Indian Council of Medical Research