ArticleBMC geriatrics2024
An analysis of protective health behavior and polypharmacy among older patients: a nationwide cohort study.
Article in BMC geriatrics, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Exploring medication self-management in polypharmacy: a qualitative systematic review of patients and healthcare providers perspectives.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2024Pooled it
- Healthcare burden and clinical outcomes of polypharmacy in older adults: a population-based cohort study in South Korea.Archives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique · 2025Article
- Polypharmacy Prevalence Among Older Adults Based on the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe: An Update.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- Investigating Frailty, Polypharmacy, Malnutrition, Chronic Conditions, and Quality of Life in Older Adults: Large Population-Based Study.JMIR public health and surveillance · 2024Article
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3 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThis study analyzed the relationship between protective health behaviors and polypharmacy in individuals aged 65 years and older.
methodsWe used data from a nationwide survey (KNHANES) from 2012 to 2016 in conjunction with the health insurance claims databases. A total of 3297 adults aged 65 or older were included in the study. Polypharmacy was defined as more than 30 prescription days in 6 months with five or more different drugs. Health-related behaviors (BMI, smoking, drinking, regular walking, and living alone) were extracted for 6 months before measuring polypharmacy. We used multivariable logistic regression on polypharmacy for each protective health behavior, as well as a composite score of protective health behavior. Subgroup analysis was also conducted by age and sex.
resultsAmong protective health behaviors, BMI < 25 (OR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.66-0.88) and never smoking (OR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.62-0.98) were associated with a lower risk of polypharmacy. Polypharmacy was significantly associated with BMI < 25 in both sex subgroups (male: OR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.56-0.88; female: OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.67-0.99) and 65-79 subgroup (OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.63-0.86). The association between never smoking and polypharmacy was only significant in the 65-79 subgroup (OR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.55-0.91). Participants with five protective health behaviors had a lower risk of polypharmacy than participants with zero or one health behavior, which was only statistically significant in the subgroup analysis of participants aged 65-79 years (OR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.29-0.94).
conclusionsThis study finds that health behaviors such as obesity and smoking are associated with a higher risk of polypharmacy. Furthermore, we confirm that a high score of protective health behaviors is associated with a lower risk of polypharmacy. Our findings indicate the need for geriatric-centered management of protective health behaviors to prevent polypharmacy.
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