Pill for this and a pill for that: A cross‐sectional survey of use and understanding of medication among adults with multimorbidity

Objective To understand the challenges managing medication use and knowledge of people living with multimorbidity. Methods A cross‐sectional survey of 234 adults with multimorbidity, identified using retrospective hospital discharge data. Participants were recruited from two primary health organisat...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Australasian journal on ageing 2019-06, Vol.38 (2), p.91-97
Main Authors: Millar, Elinor, Gurney, Jason, Stanley, James, Stairmand, Jeannine, Davies, Cheryl, Semper, Kelly, Dowell, Anthony, Lawrenson, Ross, Mangin, Dee, Sarfati, Diana
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Cross-Sectional Studies
drug‐related side effects and adverse reactions
Female
Humans
Male
Medication Adherence
Middle Aged
Multimorbidity
Polypharmacy
self‐management
Surveys and Questionnaires
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Summary:Objective To understand the challenges managing medication use and knowledge of people living with multimorbidity. Methods A cross‐sectional survey of 234 adults with multimorbidity, identified using retrospective hospital discharge data. Participants were recruited from two primary health organisations in New Zealand. Results Three quarters of participants (75%) were prescribed four or more medications, and one in four (27%) were prescribed eight or more medications. Participants reported knowing what their medications were for (88%, 95% CI 81.4–93.8) and when to take them (99%, 95% CI 97.5–99.9). However, over a fifth (22%, 95% CI 13.7–30.4) reported some problems managing multiple medications, and 40% (95% CI 30.2–50.2) reported a problem with side effects. Conclusion The results highlight the need to consider how prescribing can be adapted for people with multimorbidity and move beyond the application of multiple disease‐specific guidelines.
ISSN:1440-6381
1741-6612
DOI:10.1111/ajag.12606