Open AccessFactors associated with analgesic and psychotropic medications use by community‐dwelling older people with chronic pain
Author(s) -
Kung Francis,
Gibson Stephen J.,
Helme Robert D.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.946
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1753-6405
pISSN - 1326-0200
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-842x.1999.tb01301.x
Subject(s) - medicine , analgesic , chronic pain , older people , population , psychotropic medication , activities of daily living , psychiatry , physical therapy , gerontology , mental health , environmental health
Objective: The present study sought to examine use prevalence and factors associated with use of analgesic and psychotropic medications in community‐dwelling older people with chronic non‐malignant pain. Method: The study group comprised 193 community‐dwelling older people with daily chronic non‐malignant pain who were selected from a random sample of 1,000 older people in Melbourne. Results: The use prevalence for the study group was 63% for analgesics and 39% for psychotropic medications, which is higher than the general older population without chronic pain (p<0.00001). More women with chronic pain used analgesics, while psycho‐social factors such as problems with sleeping and living at home alone were found to be associated with an increased use of psychotropic medications. Conclusion: A high proportion of community‐dwelling older people with chronic non‐malignant pain use analgesic and psychotropic medications. Implications: These findings provide the basis for further investigation into the level and appropriateness of analgesic and psychotropic medication use by older people with chronic pain.