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KMID : 0378019910340060081
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New Medical Journal
1991 Volume.34 No. 6 p.81 ~ p.88
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A Study on their medication and management of drug of the elderly who visited five P.H.C in Seoul
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Abstract
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Generally the elderly has the high morbidity rate and many of them have one or more chronic illnesses that require several medications.
As a result, they tend to take more drug pills and the period of medication is usually long. For the elderly, because of physiological changes, the potential risks of side effects increase. Besides, the chronically ill elderly are very vulnerable to medication misuse because of failing memories, hearing and eyesight.
To achieve the goal of medication -healthful life- adequate education and continuous supervision are needed, especially in the elderly.
The purpose of this study is to find out the current trend of medication, the rate of experience of side effects and the attitude to managing drugs. This study was done on the sample that is composed of 234 persons over 60 years old, who visited five Public Health Care Centers in Seoul.
The results are as follow
1) the 72 of short-term used drugs were prescribed by medical doctors and the 70% of the total respondents had used some drugs for more than one month, 10% of them using over ten years. Additionally the mean number of used drugs is 1.5 supposing that the burden of the elderly to take and manage drugs should be heavy.
2) The 30% of the long-term users were taking drugs prescribed by more than two medical persons, and only the 43% of these cases were known to medical persons. This says that there exists the high potential risk of side effects.
3) The 35% of long-term users had been told about the side effects, and only the 20% of the above mentioned people had understood. Therefore, it is recommended that medical persons should be emphasized about the importance of education.
4) General attitude on managing drugs : sharing medicine with others, quitting taking medication when symptoms were improved, having difficulties in reading the description of side effects and trouble in remembering when to take the drugs were found. It indicates that education is needed to prevent the mistake of the elderly made in the medication and management of it. It also indicates that continuous supervision during the entire process is needed.
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