title: [Consumption of psychopharmaceuticals by residents at nursing homes. Significance of the environment at the nursing home].
abstract: The object of the investigation is to describe the consumption of psychopharmaca and hypnotics in nursing homes and, simultaneously, to describe the environment in the nursing homes. Five nursing homes supervised by the same practitioner participated. The medicine consumed by 125 residents was registered. Ninety-two residents were interviewed. Psychopharmaca were administered to 37% of the residents. The consumption varied only slightly between the five nursing homes (from 30% to 42%). The consumption was not associated with proportion of patients who had been referred on account of mental incapacity. Hypnotics in the form of benzodiazepines were employed by 50% of the residents (variations from 36% to 65%). The duration of administration of nocturnal sedatives was, on an average, 21 months. This consumption was not associated with mental incapacity or the duration of the stay in the home. The nursing home environment was assessed by interviews with the residents. Considerable satisfaction was expressed concerning order and organisation and also community spirit. On the other hand, only limited feelings of frankness existed among the residents. Many residents felt more frequently lonely after placement in nursing homes. The two nursing homes where the residents had the greatest feeling of frankness and community spirit had the lowest consumptions of nocturnal sedatives.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hasle
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Olsen
mesh_terms: D004363:Drug Utilization; D006801:Humans; D009735:Nursing Homes; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs
vernacular_title: Psykofarmakaforbrug blandt plejehjemsbeboere. Plejehjemsmiljøets betydning.