Risk Factors of Fialova et al for Inappropriate Medication Use in Elderly European Home Care Patients

Patient selection: elderly patients >= 65 years of age being taken care of at home

Factors associated with reduced risk:

(1) age >= 85 years of age

(2) living alone (living with others was associated with increased dependency in self-care and dependency in activities of daily living)

Risk factors for inappropriate drug use:

(1) poor economic situation (low socioeconomic status)

(2) multiple medications being taken (polypharmacy, with >= 6 drugs)

(3) use of an anxiolytic drug

(4) depression

(5) age 65 - 84 years (see above)

(6) not living alone (see above)

Polypharmacy correlated with multiple comorbid conditions (with >= 4 significant).

total number of risk factors for inappropriate drug use =

= SUM(points for all 6 factors identified)

Interpretation:

• minimum number of risk factors: 0

• maximum number of risk factors: 6

• The risk of drug misuse increases with the number of risk factors present.

OR estimated from Figure 3, page 1356