Use of medication and associated factors in adults living in Rio Branco, Acre Use of medication in adults

Abstract

We analyzed use of medication and associated factors in adults aged 18–59 years living in Rio Branco, Acre. This is a cross-sectional and population-based study that used a probabilistic sample of the population from rural and urban areas of the city of Rio Branco, Acre. The Prevalence Ratio (PR) was calculated with 95% confidence intervals and associations were estimated by Poisson regression. This study found a 29.4% prevalence ratio of use of medication among individuals aged from 18 to 59 years (685 adults: 473 women and 212 men; producing estimates for 211,902 adults: 110,769 women and 101,133 men). After adjusted analysis, their use was associated with: age (50–59 years, PR: 2.36; 95%CI: 2.29–2.43); women (PR: 1.25; 95%CI: 1.23–1.27); up to elementary school (PR: 1.13; 95%CI: 1.11–1.15); and poor or very poor self-rated health (PR: 1.47; 95%CI: 1.43–1.51). The health conditions associated with use of medication were: number of comorbidities, hypertension, diabetes, insomnia, depression, number of health complaints and use of health services. The most frequently used drugs were those belonging to the following ATC categories: alimentary tract and metabolism, cardiovascular system, nervous system, and the musculoskeletal system.