Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study was to explore healthcare consumption in relation to more versus less knowledge concerning prescribed drugs among older people with functional dependency and repeated healthcare contacts, and to explore the determinants of more versus less knowledge
Methods
The sample comprised 63 persons (mean age 82.8 years). Data concerning use and knowledge about drugs, demographics, health complaints and self-reported diseases were collected from the baseline measure in an ongoing randomised controlled trial (RCT) and merged with data from two public registers about healthcare consumption 2 years prior to baseline measurement. Data were analysed descriptively and using regression analysis.
Results
Fifty-two percent of the sample (n = 33) had less knowledge (defined as not knowing the indications for 50% or less of their prescribed drugs) and these had more acute hospitals stays (median 2 vs 0), more total hospital stays (median 2 vs 1) and more bed days in hospital (median 18 vs 3) than those with more knowledge. Bed days and visits to other outpatient staff groups were associated with less knowledge; visits to physicians were associated with more knowledge.
Conclusions
The healthcare consumption pattern of those with less knowledge differed from that of those with more knowledge in terms of more acute inpatient care. The results indicate that there is a need for the health system to create mechanisms to ensure that patients do not lose their knowledge about their drugs when admitted in an acute situation; there is also an apparent need for educational intervention with patients, starting at the time of admission.
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Acknowledgements
This project was a collaboration between the Faculty or Medicine at Lund University, The Vårdal Institute, Lund University Hospital, the primary care and the municipality of Eslöv. We are grateful to the Faculty of Medicine at Lund University, Greta and Johan Kochs Foundation, the Vardal Institute, the Government Funding of Clinical Research within the NHS (ALF) and the Swedish Research Council for funding this study. We are also most grateful to the participants and their next of kin. We would especially like to thank head nurse Gunilla Emilsson of the municipality of Eslöv, Christina Rauser, physician at the emergency clinic at Lund University Hospital, PhD students Magnus Sandberg and Elin Nilsson for data collection, and Patricia Shrimpton for revising the English.
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Kristensson, J., Modig, S., Midlöv, P. et al. Healthcare utilisation and knowledge concerning prescribed drugs among older people. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 66, 1047–1054 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00228-010-0837-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00228-010-0837-y