[Self-medication and the elderly. The reality of the home medicine cabinet].
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of self-medication in the elderly, to describe the characteristics of self-medication and home medicine cabinets.


METHODS
Cross-sectional descriptive study.


METHODS
An urban primary health care (PHC) centre in Spain.


METHODS
A total of 240 patients 75 years of age or older.


METHODS
A structured questionnaire filled in by home care nurses from April to June 2006. Self-medication was classified into 4 sub-groups: pharmacological or herbal, exclusively pharmacological, exclusively herbal and pharmacological and herbal. The study variables were: age, sex, living alone, number of chronic diseases, number of chronic prescriptions and medicine cabinet characteristics (drugs accumulation, expired drugs, chronic drugs out of prescription, location of medicine chest and periodic review). Other variables were: drug types, source, and acute/chronic reason for self-medication.


RESULTS
Self-medication frequency was 31,2% (95% CI, 26-36), with 22.9% (95% CI, 17.5-27.5) being pharmacological and 15.4% (95% CI, 23.1-17.3), herbal. The drugs most used in self-medication were analgesics (30.9%) and cold remedies (27.2%). The pharmacy was the most usual source (49.3%). A total of 41.6% contained drugs that were out of chronic prescription, and 34.4% accumulated more than three boxes of the same medication.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a significant prevalence of self-medication among the elderly. Accumulating drugs in homes is a very extensive practice. Pharmacists and PHC professionals need to be trained in the responsible use of chronic and self-medication. Although self-care has to be encouraged, PHC professionals must make their patients aware of the harmful effects of self-medication.
Vacas Rodilla
Esther
E
CAP Lepanto, Sabadell, España. Estherri80@hotmail.com
Castellà Dagà
Imma
I
Sánchez Giralt
Maria
M
Pujol Algué
Anna
A
Pallarés Comalada
M Carme
MC
Balagué Corbera
Montserrat
M
D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012651:Self Medication / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D004366:Nonprescription Drugs