Analgesic use among community-dwelling people aged 75 years and older : a population-based interview study

2010

Abstract Background: Pain is often underrecognized and undertreated among older people. However, older people may be particularly susceptible to adverse drug reactions linked to prescription and nonprescription analgesics. Objectives: The aims of this study were to assess the prevalence of analgesic use among a random sample of community-dwelling people aged ≥75 years, and to investigate factors associated with daily and as-needed analgesic use. Methods: A random sample of people aged ≥75 years was drawn from the population register in Kuopio, Finland, in November 2003. Data on prescription and nonprescription analgesic use were elicited during nurse interviews conducted once for each parti…