Medication adherence in Elderly during COVID-19 pandemic: what role can the emergency department play?
Pan Afr Med J
; 38: 220, 2021.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1239173
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
elderly frequently present a poly-pathology recurring polypharmacy. Therefore, strict medication adherence is essential to avoid poor health outcomes especially during health crises like the current COVID-19 pandemic. The aims of our study were to identify the predictors of medication non-adherence in elderly and to expose the role of the emergency department (ED) to improve the therapeutic adherence during COVID-19 pandemic.METHODS:
it was a two steps study. Primary, an observational, prospective survey over one month, including 100 elderly patients consulting to the emergency department. Medication adherence was assessed by Morisky's 4-questions scale; predictors of non-adherence have been identified. Secondary, a report of elderly medication management by the emergency physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic confinement.RESULTS:
first step 100 patients, mean age of 73±8 years. The average number of drugs was 4±2. Medication non-adherence was reported in 39%, predictors of therapeutic non-adherence were polypharmacy (OR=2.41; CI95% [1.60;3.61]), rural origin (OR=6.72; CI95% [1.47;30.63]) and metabolic diseases history (OR=5.24; CI95% [1.48;18.53]). In the second step, 816 elder lies were enrolled, mean age 73±7 years. The therapeutic attitude in the emergency department was to prescribe the same treatment (60%) to adjust the doses of the drugs prescribed (14%) to stop one or more drugs (13%) or to indicate new treatments (13%). Thirty-five percent of patients were admitted for short-term hospitalization.CONCLUSION:
medication non-adherence is common in elderly, due to several factors. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the emergency services in Tunisia played an important role in the follow-up and therapeutic continuity of these elderly patients.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Polypharmacy
/
Emergency Service, Hospital
/
Medication Adherence
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
Africa
Language:
English
Journal:
Pan Afr Med J
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Pamj.2021.38.220.26555
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