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Prescription medication hoarding and borrowing or sharing behaviours in older residents in the Illawarra, New South Wales, Australia
Author(s) -
Ellis Janette C,
Mullan Judy,
Worsley Tony
Publication year - 2011
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/j.1741-6612.2010.00457.x
Subject(s) - medical prescription , hoarding (animal behavior) , focus group , medicine , older people , qualitative research , family medicine , psychiatry , gerontology , nursing , social science , marketing , sociology , feeding behavior , business
Aim: To examine prescription medication hoarding and borrowing or sharing (PMHBS) behaviours in older people, particularly which medications are subject to these behaviours and the circumstances that enable these behaviours. Methods: A mixed methods triangulation design, using consecutive qualitative (focus groups) and quantitative (survey) methodologies in a convenience sample of people older than 65 years, living independently in the Illawarra region (New South Wales). Results: Focus group participants ( n = 28) acknowledged PMHBS behaviours were widespread; however, very few survey respondents ( n = 226) admitted to engaging in these behaviours. Main findings in the study were enablers for these behaviours: the prescription medication is considered the same as that prescribed previously; and self‐medicating for pain relief. Conclusions: The prevalence of PMHBS behaviours in this study was low, although it was acknowledged such behaviours occurred in the wider community. Sharing strong pain medication and the same prescription medication appeared to be acceptable in this population.