Author/Authors :
Stankuniene, Aurima Lithuanian University of Health Sciences - Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Social Pharmacy, Lithuania , Stankunas, Mindaugas Lithuanian University of Health Sciences - Department of Health Management, Lithuania , Stankunas, Mindaugas Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus - School of Public Health, Australia , Soares, Joaquim JF Mid Sweden University - Institution for Health Sciences - Department of Public Health Science, Sweden , Avery, Mark Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus - School of Public Health, Australia , Melchiorre, M Gabriella Italian National Institute of Health and Science on Aging (INRCA) - Socio Economic Research Centre - Scientific Technological Area, Italy , Torres-Gonzalez, Francisco Granada University - Centro de Investigación Biomedica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain , Radziunas, Raimondas Lithuanian University of Health Sciences - Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Social Pharmacy, Lithuania , Baranauskas, Algirdas Lithuanian University of Health Sciences - Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Social Pharmacy, Lithuania , Lindert, Jutta Protestant University of Applied Sciences - Department of Public Health, Germany , Lindert, Jutta University of Leipzig - Department of Psychology and Sociology, Germany
Abstract :
Background: The use of medicines by elderly people is a growing area of concern in social pharmacy. A significant proportion of older people do not follow the recommendations from physicians and refrain from buying prescribed medications. The aim of this study is to evaluate associations between self-rated health, somatic complaints and refraining from buying prescribed medications by elderly people. Findings: Data was collected in a cross-sectional study in 2009. We received 624 completed questionnaires (response rate – 48.9%) from persons aged 60–84 years living in Kaunas (Lithuania). Somatic complaints were measured with the 24 item version of the Giessen Complaint List (GBB-24). Logistic regression (Enter model) was used for evaluation of the associations between refraining from buying medications and somatic complaints. These associations were measured using odds ratio (OR) and calculating the 95% confidence interval (CI). The mean scores in total for the GBB scale and sub-scales (exhaustion, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular) were lowest among respondents who did not refrain from buying prescribed medications (means for GBB-24 scale: 21.04 vs. 24.82; p=0.001). Logistic regression suggests that somatic complaints were associated with a increased risk of refraining from buying prescribed medications (OR=1.35, 95% CI=1.15-1.60). Conclusions: Somatic complaints were significantly associated with the decision to refrain from buying prescribed medications.
Keywords :
Use of medication , Somatic complaints , Self , rated health , Elderly , Accessibility , Non , adherence , Lithuania
