title: [Use of medication by the elderly in urban and rural areas in southern Brazil: a population-based study].
abstract: The study aimed to measure use of medication and polypharmacy among the elderly in Carlos Barbosa, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, and to compare socio-demographic, economic, and health characteristics in relation to area of residence (urban versus rural) in a random sample of 811 persons 60 year of age or older. Interviews were used to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics, chronic illnesses, and self-reported use of medications. The association between area of residence and medication or polypharmacy was adjusted for confounders using Poisson regression with robust variance. Prevalence rates for use of medication and polypharmacy were higher among older persons living in the urban area. Living in the urban area was positively and independently associated with use of medication (PR = 1.10; 95%CI: 1.02-1.20) and polypharmacy (PR = 1.83; 95%CI: 1.27-2.65) in this group of elderly in southern Brazil.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brasil. tatiane.silva@ufrgs.br
authors.forename: Tatiane da Silva
authors.initials: Tda S
authors.lastname: Dal Pizzol
authors.forename: Emilia da Silva
authors.initials: Eda S
authors.lastname: Pons
authors.forename: Fernando Neves
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Hugo
authors.forename: Mary Clarisse
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Bozzetti
authors.forename: Maria da Luz Rosário de
authors.initials: Mda L
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: Juliana Balbinot
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Hilgert
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019338:Polypharmacy; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations