Drugs Use among Ethnic Group Elderly, Soem Ngam District, Lampang Province

Abstract

This cross-sectional survey had the objective of investigating the existence and prevalence of inappropriate pharmaceutical-taking behaviors among the elderly in a Karen ethnic group in Serm Ngam district, Lampang province, and to study factors related to this. Forty research participants were selected by purposive sampling and the research tools used comprised questionnaires and interviews. The research found that 74.1% of the elderly in the community were female, and 92.6% were aged between 60 and 70. 77.8% had not been educated and so most were not able to speak, read or write Thai at an advanced level. 70.4% also had congenital diseases. Approximately equal proportions of the elderly had and did not have caregivers to help with taking medications, but where caregivers were present, these were mostly children or grandchildren, which was consistent with the proportion of persons or things that help to support the correct use of drugs. 77.8% of respondents took medications under instruction from a doctor and the drugs that were used regularly by most elderly people were connected to chronic conditions such as thyroid problems, diabetes, hypertension, asthma, etc. 66.7% reported using analgesic drugs, such as paracetamol, while 25.9% used non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSIAD) such as ibuprofen and diclofenac. Most of the respondents (66.7%) took their medicine immediately after meals. Inappropriate behaviors connected to the consumption of medicines included not checking the drug’s expiration date, increasing the quantity of drugs taken without consulting a doctor, choosing to buy drugs from inappropriate channels, consuming medicines that belonged to other people, and forget-ting to take their medicine and then increasing the dose taken at the next meal. Staying with relatives was significantly and positively correlated with use of medicines at a p-value of 0.05 (r = 0.413). The research suggests that correct and appropriate information about the use of medicines should be provided to elderly members of this ethnic group jointly with their care-givers. Health promoting hospitals should in addition prepare a manual on how to take medicines written in the community’s language and drug use by the elderly should also be monitored.