Drug Use and Health in Older Adults in Norway
Author Information
Author(s): Mette Brekke, Steinar Hunskaar, Jørund Straand
Primary Institution: University of Oslo, Norway; University of Bergen, Norway
Hypothesis
What are the patterns of self-reported medication use among 70–74 year old individuals living in the community?
Conclusion
Most individuals aged 70–74 in the community do not use medication, with a significant portion using three or more drugs for health issues.
Supporting Evidence
- 28% of respondents reported no drug use the previous day.
- The average number of drugs taken by users was 2.8.
- 11.5% of participants used five or more drugs.
- Hypertension was the most common reason for drug use.
Takeaway
Most older people in Norway don't take any medicine, and those who do usually take just a few for health problems.
Methodology
A health survey with a self-administered questionnaire was mailed to 4338 individuals, with 3341 responding, focusing on drug use the previous day.
Potential Biases
Self-reported data may introduce recall bias.
Limitations
The study may not fully represent non-respondents, who likely use more drugs.
Participant Demographics
Participants were community-dwelling individuals aged 70–74, with a response rate of 77%.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Confidence Interval
95% CI 1.04–2.5
Statistical Significance
p<0.01
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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