[Preliminary study of drug use by the elderly].
Out of 425 cases aged 65 and above, two hundred and sixty six cases were visited and surveyed with a structured questionnaire. The visitation rate was 62.4%. The purposes of this study were to: 1. Investigate the symptoms of drug-use among the elderly. 2. Reveal the percentage and the duration of drug-use among the elderly. 3. Understand the major reasons and methods of drug-use among the elderly. The results of this study included: 1. Drug-use by the elderly was very popular and persistent. 2. Thirty percent of our subjects used nonprescription drugs. 3. The major symptoms of drug-use were eye-indisposed, hypertension, notalgia and muscle pain & neuralgia. Our suggestions were: 1. It is very important to investigate the practice of drug-use among the elderly, so that health education for high risk people can be promoted. 2. Prevention of hypertension and notalgia while young is better than a cure while old.
Chiou
C J
CJ
School of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical College, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Chun
F J
FJ
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations