Objectives: Medication taking in the management of chronic conditions causes a significant burden on individuals. The aim of this study was to explore the medication-related burden in ambulatory adult patients with chronic conditions in Malta.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey utilising the living with medicines questionnaire V3 (LMQ V3) was conducted in Maltese residents over the age of 18 years, taking at least 1 medication for a chronic condition and recruited through community events. The overall LMQ score, the domain scores and the visual analog scale data were analysed to determine relationships with the demographic factors.
Results: A total of 337 responses were analysed revealing a moderate (42.4%) to high medication (36.8%) related burden. The drivers of medication-related burden were primarily: 'side-effects of prescribed medication' (r = -0.843, < 0.001), 'attitudes/concerns about medicine use' (r = -0.830, < 0.001) and 'impact/interferences to day-to-day life' (r = -0.820, < 0.001). Lack of autonomy to vary the dosage regimen resulted in a higher burden (r = -0.260, < 0.001). Males experienced an overall higher burden ( = 0.046) especially related to practical difficulties ( = 0.04), cost-related burden ( = 0.04) and side-effects of prescribed medication ( = 0.01).
Conclusion: Medication-related burden is complex and multi-faceted as demonstrated by the findings of this study. Healthcare professionals should seek to identify and address factors causing this burden to improve patient outcomes.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/17423953231205918 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Dynamic changes in medication burden leading to fall and hospital readmissions in older adults: Toward a strategy for improving risk and managing costs.
J Manag Care Spec Pharm
January 2025
Department of Internal Medicine, UT Health McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX.
The majority of a health plan's performance and designated Star Rating is related to medication-related behavior, eg, medication adherence, medication review, and reconciliation, that are intricately related to adverse drug events (ADEs). Altered pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics owing to aging make older adults more vulnerable to ADEs like falls, fractures, hospitalizations, and mortality. Prevention of avoidable risk factors such as medication burden can help maintain quality of life.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAssociation between number of medications and indicators of potentially inappropriate polypharmacy: a population-based cohort of older adults in Quebec, Canada.
Ther Adv Drug Saf
December 2024
Faculty of Pharmacy, Université Laval, CEVQ, 1050 Chemin Ste-Foy, Quebec, QC G1S 4L8, Canada.
Background: As the number of medications increases, the appropriateness of polypharmacy may become questionable due to the heightened risk of medication-related harm.
Objectives: (1) To investigate the relationship between the number of current medications used by older adults and three indicators of potentially inappropriate polypharmacy: (a) the mean number of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs), (b) the average count of drug-drug interactions, and (c) the anticholinergic burden; (2) To characterize the population-based burden of potentially inappropriate polypharmacy by calculating the proportion of individuals with these indicators.
Design: We conducted a population-based observational study using the Quebec Integrated Chronic Disease Surveillance System.
Prevalence and influencing factors of medication-related burden among patients with late-life depression in typical city of eastern China: a cross-sectional study.
BMC Public Health
December 2024
Affiliated Mental Health Center of Jiangnan University, Wuxi Central Rehabilitation Hospital, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214151, China.
Aim: To evaluate the medication-related burden (MRB) of patients with late-life depression (LLD) and its influencing factors in China using the Living with Medicines Questionnaire-3 (LMQ-3), providing reference for reducing the MRB of those patients.
Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted between September 2023 and January 2024 on 588 patients with LLD. LMQ-3 and MRB factors questionnaire were used for data collection.
Home Care Patient's Experiences and Medication Burden Related to High-Risk Medication Use: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Int J Older People Nurs
January 2025
Department of Nursing Science and Midwifery, Centre for Research and Innovation in Care (CRIC), Nurse and Pharmaceutical Care (NuPhaC), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Background: Age, polypharmacy and comorbidity are examples of known factors that increase the risk of adverse drug reactions in patients. The use of high-risk medication also entails a heightened risk of harm. There is currently no information available on the home care patients' experiences and medication burden experienced due to their high-risk medication use and how they manage their medication.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Effects of Prescribed Medications on Depressive Symptoms and Neurocognitive Performance in People With Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
Clin Infect Dis
December 2024
Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, California, USA.
Background: Alterations in brain function and structure, such as depression and neurocognitive impairment, continue to occur in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV, PWH) taking suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART). The lifespan of PWH has improved but the healthspan remains worse than people without HIV, in part because of aging-related diseases. As a result, polypharmacy is common and increases the risk of drug-drug interactions and adverse reactions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!