UNASSIGNED: Long-term care facilities are increasingly challenged with meeting the diverse healthcare needs of the elderly population, particularly concerning medication management. Understanding medication information literacy and behavior among this demographic is imperative. Therefore, this qualitative study aims to explore medication information literacy and develop distinct medication profiles among elderly long-term care residents.
UNASSIGNED: In this study, we conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with 32 participants aged 65 or older residing in a long-term care facility. The interviews were designed to explore participants\' understanding of medication information, medication management practices, and experiences with healthcare providers. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the interview data, allowing for the identification of common patterns and themes related to medication-taking behavior among the elderly residents.
UNASSIGNED: The thematic analysis revealed four distinct medication behavior profiles among the elderly long-term care residents: (1) Proactive Health Self-Managers, (2) Medication Information Adherents, (3) Experience-Based Medication Users, and (4) Nonadherent Medication Users. These findings provide valuable insights into the diverse approaches to medication management within long-term care facilities and underscore the importance of tailored interventions to support the specific needs of each profile.
UNASSIGNED: This study highlights the necessity for tailored medication education and support to optimize medication management for the elderly. With the aging population expansion, addressing the unique medication challenges within long-term care facilities becomes increasingly critical. This research contributes to ongoing endeavors to enhance healthcare services for the elderly, striving for safer and more effective medication-taking behavior.

Although polypharmacy is considered a major predictor of irrational use of drugs, little is known about polypharmacy in developing regions. We aimed to indicate the prevalence and correlates of polypharmacy and to determine the medication profile at the population level in southern Iran.
In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed data from participants of the Pars Cohort Study (PCS) (aged above 40 years, N=9269). Polypharmacy was defined as using five or more medications concurrently. A Poisson multivariable model was applied to estimate the adjusted prevalence ratios (APRs) of various risk factors. The Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification system was used for classifying medications.
Prevalence of polypharmacy was 10.4%, (95% CI: 9.75; 11.08) and it was higher among females (15.0%), older adults (age≥65 years) (16.0%), and individuals with more than two chronic conditions (31%). Being female, educated, married, and not having a low socio-economic class were independently associated with a higher likelihood of polypharmacy. The most prevalent medications among female participants were sex hormones and modulators of the genital system (58.4%), drugs for acid-related disorders (14.6%), and anti-anemic preparations (13.6%,). On the other hand, males were using acid-related disorders (14.6%), anti-inflammatory and anti-rheumatic products (7.8%), and beta-blocking agents (6.3%).
The prevalence of polypharmacy in our sample was relatively low, especially among males. Cardiovascular drugs, acid suppressants, hormonal contraceptives, and anti-anemic preparations are drug classes with the highest contribution to polypharmacy.

UNASSIGNED: Prescription of potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) in older adults is associated with poor clinical outcomes. The EU (7)-PIM list was created for the European market to improve pharmacotherapy in older adults.
UNASSIGNED: This work aims to characterize the medication profile and assess the presence of PIM, using the EU (7)-PIM list in older adults\' residents at nursing homes.
UNASSIGNED: Retrospective data were collected from the anonymized nursing home records. After PIM identification, a descriptive analysis was performed, and a generalized linear model for dependent negative binomial-type variables was constructed to assess the risk of PIM.
UNASSIGNED: Of the 210 participants (mean age 85.10), 82.40% were polymedicated. PIM was observed in 86.4% participants (mean per patient = 2.30± 0.10). The most common PIM were proton pump inhibitors (n = 121, 57.62%), followed by anxiolytics (n = 96, 45.71%). 64.30% of all patients take 2-4 PIM and 5.80% take five or more PIM. The occurrence of PIM is influenced by the number of prescribed medicines (RR 1.14; 95% CI 1.1.-1.17) and the presence of digestive system diseases (RR 1.05; 95% CI 1.0-1.09).
UNASSIGNED: The high prevalence of PIM observations highlights the necessity of the implementation of guidelines to prevent PIM.

OBJECTIVE: The present retrospective study aimed to determine the medication profile and estimate the treatment costs from medical records of new outpatients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety disorders from a healthcare perspective at a national referral hospital in Indonesia from 2016 to 2018.
METHODS: Medical records (including medical and administrative data) of 357 new outpatients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety disorders were collected from the hospital information system. The records of new outpatients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety disorders aged >18 years and had only received drugs for treatment were included. The medication profile was descriptively assessed, and estimated costs were calculated based on direct costs from a healthcare perspective.
RESULTS: Overall, 173 medical records were further analyzed. The main drugs administered to the new outpatients were atypical and typical antipsychotics for schizophrenia, atypical antipsychotics and mood stabilizers for bipolar disorder, antidepressants and atypical antipsychotics for depression, and antidepressants and benzodiazepines for anxiety disorders. The average annual treatment costs per patient were IDR 3,307,931 (USD 236) for schizophrenia, IDR 17,978,865 (USD 1,284) for bipolar disorder, IDR 1,601,850 (USD 114) for depression, and IDR 1,190,563 (USD 85) for anxiety disorders.
CONCLUSIONS: The most commonly prescribed drugs for schizophrenia were haloperidol and risperidone; for bipolar disorders, sodium divalproex and risperidone; for depression, fluoxetine and sertraline; and for anxiety disorders, sertraline and lorazepam. Considering the high prevalence and estimated treatment costs for mental disorders, special attention is required to prevent an increase in their prevalence in Indonesia.