The Dubbo Study

Article Title
Multiple medication use in the elderly: Use of prescription and non-prescription drugs in an Australian community setting
Article Authors
Simons LA; Tett S; Simons J; Lauchlan R; McCallum J; Friedlander Y; Powell I
Link to full text copy of paper
Article Journal
Med J Aust 1992; 157: 242-246.
Article Synopsis
Numerous studies have pointed to polypharmacy (multiple medication use) in the elderly as contributing to medication-related problems. An analysis of polypharmacy is required to develop some preventative strategies for the practice.

This report examines some biological and psychological predictors of polypharmacy, patterns of multiple drug use and relationships between the use of prescription and non-prescription items.

The study’s findings conclude that a disproportionately large number of subjects were using multiple prescription and non-prescription items simultaneously. 18 per cent of men and 25 per cent of women were currently using three or more classes of prescription drugs. The corresponding values for two or more classes of non-prescription drugs were 29 per cent and 44 per cent. Of those who were using multiple prescription drugs 56 per cent of men and 76 per cent of women were also using multiple non-prescription drugs.

Results highlighted that recent hospitalisation, increasing age, female gender and increasing depression were factors strongly associated with multiple prescription drug use. Female gender and increasing depression were the only factors strongly associated with multiple non-prescription drug use.

The findings suggest that ageing, depressed women be targeted for possible preventive action in relation to multiple drug use.