title: Use of vitamin and mineral supplements in long-term care home residents.
abstract: Vitamin-mineral supplementation may offer older adults health and cognition-related benefits but overuse may contribute to polypharmacy. We examined the prevalence of supplement usage in long-term care facility (LTC) residents (≥ 65 years of age). As cognition may be affected by nutrition, we also examined use in those with diagnosis of dementia and those with no dementia diagnosis. The prevalence of supplement usage and overall "pill count" from pharmaceutical use was assessed in 189 LTC residents and a subsample of 56 older adults with dementia diagnosis, respectively. Participants were residing in an LTC facility of a mid-size metropolitan area during 2009. The average use of supplements was 1.0 per day for all residents, with 35% taking vitamin D supplements, 20% multivitamins, and 26% calcium. Supplement use was similar (p ≥ 0.05) for those with dementia diagnosis (53%, average 2.0 per day) and for those without such diagnosis (45%, average 2.2 per day). Usage ranged between 1-6 supplements per day. In both of these groups, ∼73% of users were taking vitamin D. The number of prescribed medications ranged from 4 to 24 (average 10.2) in a subsample of residents whose supplement intake was 0 to 6 (average 2). These findings suggest an overall low rate of supplement use, with no significant differences (p ≥ 0.05) in use between residents with and without dementia diagnosis. However, some residents were at risk for supplement overuse.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
authors.forename: Navita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Viveky
authors.forename: Lynda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Toffelmire
authors.forename: Lilian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Thorpe
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Billinsky
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alcorn
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hadjistavropoulos
authors.forename: Susan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Whiting
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000009:adverse effects; D017723:Drug Utilization Review; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019338:Polypharmacy; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055553:Prescription Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014815:Vitamins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D055553:Prescription Drugs; D014815:Vitamins