Medication use in older people: a study in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening cohort (PLCO)
Appropriate medications in older people have a clear evidence-based indication, are well tolerated, and are cost-effective. In contrast, medicines that are potentially inappropriate lack evidence-based indications, pose a higher risk of adverse effects and are not cost-effective. Potentially inappropriate medication use in older people has been associated with significant morbidity, adverse drug events (ADEs), hospitalization and mortality.
While a few studies have attempted to characterize medication use in certain older populations, such as those in an ambulatory clinic setting, there is a paucity of data relating to medication use among older adults in the general US population.
In 2013, we mailed a self-report Medication Use Questionnaire (MUQ) to 75,980 eligible PLCO participants. The questionnaire included questions specific to over-the-counter and prescription anti-inflammatory and pain-reliever medication use (NSAIDs, acetaminophen, and aspirin) that were previously asked in both the BQX and SQX. Verbatim response questions were asked to determine the type, frequency, and duration of all other prescription medications used in the past month. We also asked questions on the participants’ smoking status and current weight. We propose to characterize medication use among this cohort of older PLCO participants and to explore the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication use.
We propose to
1. Describe the methods used for the MUQ data collection effort and the MUQ population
2. Characterize medication use among this cohort of older PLCO participants and to explore the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication use.
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