Discrepancies in Polypharmacy Rates in Aged Care
Author Information
Author(s): Wabe Nasir, Urwin Rachel, Seaman Karla, Westbrook Johanna I
Primary Institution: Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University
Hypothesis
How do discrepancies between prescribed and administered polypharmacy rates affect quality indicators in aged care?
Conclusion
There are significant discrepancies between prescribed and administered polypharmacy rates, suggesting a need for improved measurement standards.
Supporting Evidence
- Polypharmacy rates varied significantly based on data source and look-back periods.
- Residents with diabetes had over two times the likelihood of discrepancies in polypharmacy rates.
- Dementia residents showed a reduced likelihood of discrepancies across all analyses.
- Using prescribed data resulted in higher polypharmacy rates compared to administered data.
Takeaway
This study shows that older adults in aged care often have different numbers of medicines prescribed versus what they actually take, which can be confusing for measuring care quality.
Methodology
A longitudinal cohort study using electronic data from 30 aged care facilities over several years to compare prescribed and administered polypharmacy rates.
Potential Biases
Potential biases may arise from the reliance on electronic medication records and the specific characteristics of the facilities involved.
Limitations
The study's findings may not be generalizable beyond the Sydney metropolitan area due to the concentration of data.
Participant Demographics
Participants were aged 65 and older, with a median age of 86 years, and 64.9% were female.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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