Managing osteoarthritis. Medication use among seniors in the community.
OBJECTIVE
To determine what types of medication seniors in the community were using to manage osteoarthritis (OA).


METHODS
Mailed self-administered survey.


METHODS
Three family medicine community practice sites in cities in Nova Scotia.


METHODS
All seniors (aged 65 and older) on the electronic record of each practice site with a physician-confirmed diagnosis of OA (N = 244).


METHODS
Proportion of seniors using prescribed medications or self-care products (nonprescribed medications and herbal and natural health products) for OA.


RESULTS
Response rate was 78%. About 15% were using no medication, 74% were using at least one type of self-care product (60% were using nonprescribed medications, and 45% were using herbal and natural health products), and 52% were using prescribed medications alone or in combination with self-care products.


CONCLUSIONS
Seniors' use of prescribed and self-care products for OA is very high. Physicians must be aware that patients seeking prescriptions likely are also using self-care products. The potential for drug interactions is high; patients should be made aware of the risks associated with taking multiple products.
Lawson
Beverley
B
Department of Family Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS. Bev.Lawson@Dal.Ca
Putnam
Wayne
W
Nicol
Kelly
K
Archibald
Greg
G
Mackillop
Jim
J
Conter
Howard
H
Frail
Dawn
D
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003625:Data Collection; D004347:Drug Interactions; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D004493:Education; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D012106:Research; D012307:Risk Factors; D012651:Self Medication; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires