Adesão e condições de uso de medicamentos por idosos / Medication adherence and use conditions by elderly people.

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2009

RESUMO

A better understanding of the problems related to the medication use by elderly people is necessary, including the adherence to medication treatment, once broadening the knowledge of this theme can favor the success of the treatment, disease control/cure/prevention and health promotion. Thus, this cross-sectional and correlational study aimed to characterize the elderly people receiving care in a Private Outpatient Clinic of Medical Specialties which delivery care to patients of two Health Insurance Companies, in the interior of the state of São Paulo, according to sociodemographic variables, health conditions and medication use; to describe the cognitive capacity and the performance of the elderly in daily instrumental and basic activities; to identify the adherence of elderly people to medication treatment and to analyze the association between adherence to medication treatment and sociodemographic variables, variables related to medication use and cognitive deficit. Convenience sample was used. Data collection was carried out between February and September 2009, in the Outpatient Clinic. A readapted version of the Older Americans Resources and Services (OARS), a questionnaire to evaluate the use of medications, the Mini Exam of the Mental State (MMSE) and a Treatment Adherence Measurement (TAM) were used. In total, 97 elderly individuals were studied, with average age of 71.6 years; 72.2% were women; 45.4% married and 36.1% widower; with average of 3.1 children per elderly person; 47.4% with educational level between one and four years of study; 56.7% were retired. With regard to health, 44.3% self-evaluated it as "Good"; on average 3.4 diseases were observed per person; 42.3% evaluated their vision as "Good", however 43.3% indicated having difficulty to read medicine package inserts; 61.9% reported using only prescribed medications. Regarding the medication use, 44.3% take between 1 and 2 medications per day, continuously; 97.9% received orientation about the use of medications; 56.7% obtained the medications through their own resources; for 54.6% of the subjects, taking medications every day was indifferent; 54.6% denied the presence of collateral effects; 65.3% of the subjects who reported having difficulty in following the medication therapy mentioned the financial factor as the main reason for that and 70.1% did not use substitutes to medication. Concerning the performance of the daily life activities (AVDs), 65.6% performed from 1 to 5 activities with difficulty. In the cognitive evaluation by the MMSE, 53.6% presented cognitive deficit and the average score was 24.1 points. The average score of adherence to medication treatment was 5.2 and 77% of the elderly people presented adherence to treatment. In the study, association between adherence and sociodemographic variables, medication use and cognitive deficit, were not verified. Thus, the study revealed that most elderly people presented adherence to medication treatment, and the differences in the prevalence of adherence with the sociodemograpic variables, medication use variables and cognitive deficit were not statistically significant. However, they are relevant for discussions among health professionals, once the correct identification of the factors that can influence the treatment adherence in this age group can make effective the care practices targeting the medication use by elderly people.

ASSUNTO(S)

aged uso de medicamentos medication adherence adesão ao medicamento drug utilization idoso

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

Documentos Relacionados