Use of medications amongst older persons in Kaunas, Lithuania

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the associations between socio-economical factors and the use of medications in the elderly. Methods: The data was collected in a cross-sectional study in 2009. We received 624 completed questionnaires (response rate-48.9%) from elderly people aged 60-84 years living in Kaunas (Lithuania). For an evaluation of the impact of explanatory variables on the analyzed events (binary dependent variable), an Enter model of logistic regression was used. Results: Our findings suggest that 50.8% (n=317) of respondents used at least one drug daily. 18.3% (n=114) of respondents indicated that they use medications regularly, but not on a day-by-day basis. One quarter (25.6%; n=160) used medication only on an "at need" basis. Only 5.3% (n=33) of older persons did not use any medications at all. Logistic regression showed that being male (OR=0.67; 95%CI:0.45-0.98) was associated with using medications "regularly + daily." For the use of "daily" medications, older age (OR=1.33; 95%CI:1.15-1.53) was associated with using medications daily. An opposite association was observed for respondents having no paid work (OR=0.48; 95%CI:0.26-0.82). Conclusions: Our study suggests that more than half of older persons in Lithuania use medications every day. Use was associated with socioeconomic factors (gender, age, and employment status).