Volume 13, Issue 4 (Autumn-In Press 2025)
Iran J Health Sci 2025, 13(4): 7-7 |
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Ethics code: IR.MUBABOL.HRI.REC.1401.224
Clinical trials code: IR.MUBABOL.HRI.REC.1401.224
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Ghasemi A, Gholamnia-Shirvani Z, Pourhadi S, Hosseini S R, Bijani A, Ghadimi R. Is Education Level Associated with Polypharmacy in the Elderly Considering Socio-Economic Factors? A Cross-Sectional Survey. Iran J Health Sci 2025; 13 (4) :7-7
URL: http://jhs.mazums.ac.ir/article-1-1073-en.html
URL: http://jhs.mazums.ac.ir/article-1-1073-en.html
Abolfazl Ghasemi 
, Zainab Gholamnia-Shirvani * , Samaneh Pourhadi , Seyed Reza Hosseini , Ali Bijani , Reza Ghadimi
, Zainab Gholamnia-Shirvani * , Samaneh Pourhadi , Seyed Reza Hosseini , Ali Bijani , Reza Ghadimi
Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran , z.gholamnia@yahoo.com
Abstract: (53 Views)
Background and purpose: The elderly population is more prone to chronic diseases, leading to polypharmacy, influenced by various factors. This study examined the relationship between education, socio-economics, and polypharmacy.
Materials and Methods: As part of the initial phase of a cohort on the health status of the elderly in Amirkola City (northern Iran) initiated in 2011, this descriptive-analytical study (2023) involved individuals aged 60 and above. A total of 400 elderly participants were selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected from the cohort database via demographic, medication, and medical history questionnaires. Data were analyzed using SPSS 23, employing descriptive statistics and ANOVA and Chi-square tests at 0.05 significant level.
Results: In this study, 400 elderly individuals with an average age of 68.18 ± 7.11 years participated. The average number of medications used was 3.80±0.04. No significant association was found between education and polypharmacy (P=0.127); However, the findings showed that increased education was associated with a decrease in polypharmacy. The highest medication usage (4.46±3.27) was observed among the illiterate elderly. No significant association was identified between education and polypharmacy when considering gender, occupation, income satisfaction, and marital status (P>0.05); yet, the majority of individuals experiencing polypharmacy were men, housewives, or retirees, those with low-income satisfaction, and married.
Conclusion: The level of education had no significant relationship with polypharmacy considering socio-economics, despite the fact that the more literate elderly had less polypharmacy. Conducting studies to further evaluate the cause of the lack of association between education level and polypharmacy could help in evidence-based decision-making.
Materials and Methods: As part of the initial phase of a cohort on the health status of the elderly in Amirkola City (northern Iran) initiated in 2011, this descriptive-analytical study (2023) involved individuals aged 60 and above. A total of 400 elderly participants were selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected from the cohort database via demographic, medication, and medical history questionnaires. Data were analyzed using SPSS 23, employing descriptive statistics and ANOVA and Chi-square tests at 0.05 significant level.
Results: In this study, 400 elderly individuals with an average age of 68.18 ± 7.11 years participated. The average number of medications used was 3.80±0.04. No significant association was found between education and polypharmacy (P=0.127); However, the findings showed that increased education was associated with a decrease in polypharmacy. The highest medication usage (4.46±3.27) was observed among the illiterate elderly. No significant association was identified between education and polypharmacy when considering gender, occupation, income satisfaction, and marital status (P>0.05); yet, the majority of individuals experiencing polypharmacy were men, housewives, or retirees, those with low-income satisfaction, and married.
Conclusion: The level of education had no significant relationship with polypharmacy considering socio-economics, despite the fact that the more literate elderly had less polypharmacy. Conducting studies to further evaluate the cause of the lack of association between education level and polypharmacy could help in evidence-based decision-making.
Type of Study: Original Article |
Subject:
Geriatrics
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