Open AccessPrevalence and predictors of polypharmacy in Jordanian hospitalised patients: A cross‐sectional Study
Author(s) -
Abu Farha Rana K.,
Mukattash Tareq L.,
AlSakran Lina,
Abu Hammour Khawla,
Zawiah Mohammed
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
international journal of clinical practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.756
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 1742-1241
pISSN - 1368-5031
DOI - 10.1111/ijcp.13742
Subject(s) - polypharmacy , medicine , cross sectional study , logistic regression , diabetes mellitus , geriatrics , emergency medicine , pediatrics , psychiatry , pathology , endocrinology
Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and predictors of polypharmacy in hospitalised patients in Jordan to help guide healthcare efforts in decreasing the burden on the healthcare system. Methods This cross‐sectional study was conducted at the University of Jordan Hospital in Amman, Jordan. During the study period, a convenience sample of patients admitted to the internal medicine and surgical wards were approached to take part in this study. Following patients’ recruitments, patients were interviewed and their medical files were reviewed to obtain demographic and clinical information regarding their medical conditions and their regular use of medicines. Then, the prevelence of patients with polypharmacy were identified, and factors predicting polypharmacy among them were determined. Results Among the 300 participants who agreed to participate in this study, females represented 45.3% of the recruited sample (n = 139), and around 48.0% (n = 144) of the study sample were elderly people (≥65 years old). Most of the recruited patients (n = 248, 82.7%) were found to use polypharmacy (≥ 5 medications). Hypertension was the most frequent medical condition among study participants (n = 240, 80.0%) followed by diabetes (n = 185, 61.7%). Results of logistic regression analysis showed that polypharmacy was only significantly affected by patients’ age (OR = 2.149, P ‐value = .024) and monthly income (OR = 0.336, P ‐value = .009), while other factors were not associated with polypharmacy. Elderly patients (≥65 years) were found to have polypharmacy more significantly than non‐elderly patients. Also, those with lower monthly income (<500 JD) were found to use lower polypharmacy compared with those with higher monthly income (>500 JD). Conclusion The present study showed that polypharmacy is prevalent among patients in Jordan. While polypharmacy was not affected by smoking status, gender, BMI and educational level, it was significantly affected by monthly income and age. Further plans should be put in place to reduce polypharmacy, starting with effective pharmaceutical care services leading to treatment optimisation and ensuring desired treatment outcomes.