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Factors associated with refraining from buying prescribed medications among older people in Europe
Author(s) -
Stankunas Mindaugas,
Soares Joaquim FJ,
Viitasara Eija,
Melchiorre Maria Gabriella,
Sundin Örjan,
TorresGonzales Francisco,
Stankuniene Aurima,
Avery Mark,
IoannidiKapolou Elisabeth,
Barros Henrique,
Lindert Jutta
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
australasian journal on ageing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.63
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 1741-6612
pISSN - 1440-6381
DOI - 10.1111/ajag.12075
Subject(s) - odds ratio , medical prescription , confidence interval , medicine , older people , demography , odds , family medicine , gerontology , logistic regression , nursing , sociology
Aim To evaluate the associations between refraining from buying prescribed medications and selected factors among older persons. Methods A total of 4467 people aged 60–84 years from seven E uropean countries answered a questionnaire (response rate 45.2%). Refraining from buying prescribed medications was measured with the question: ‘Have you ever refrained from buying prescribed medication and care?’ Results About 11.9% of older people refrained from buying prescribed medications. The multiple regression analysis showed that ages 60–64 (odds ratio ( OR ) = 2.08; 95% confidence interval (95% CI ): 1.38–3.13) and 65–69 ( OR = 1.73; 95% CI : 1.16–2.57) years, experience of financial strain ( OR = 1.59; 95% CI : 1.27–2.01), as well as exposure to abuse ( OR = 1.64; 95% CI : 1.31–2.06) when taking into account country of participant were independently associated with refraining from buying medications, while an opposite association was observed for being male ( OR = 0.72; 95% CI : 0.58–0.91). Conclusions The study found that refraining from buying prescription medications is a problem among older people and identified a number of factors associated with this.