ArticleArchives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique2025
Healthcare burden and clinical outcomes of polypharmacy in older adults: a population-based cohort study in South Korea.
Article in Archives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Factors associated with family caregivers' attitudes toward deprescribing in long-term care facilities: a cross-sectional study in South Korea.BMC geriatrics · 2026Article
- Polypharmacy and Drug Interaction Risk in Children and Adolescents with Congenital Heart Defects: Insights from a Nationwide Survey.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- Association between polypharmacy at the emergency department and long-term mortality in critically ill older patients receiving mechanical ventilation: a single-center retrospective cohort study.BMC emergency medicine · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPolypharmacy is a prevalent issue in aging societies, with potential health and cost implications. This study evaluated the impact of polypharmacy on hospitalization rates and healthcare expenditure among individuals aged 65 years and older in South Korea.
methodsWe analyzed integrated data from the 2012-2016 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey alongside administrative claims data from the National Health Insurance Service and Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. Medical costs were calculated as total annual per capita expenses, encompassing outpatient visit, hospitalization, and drug costs. Key clinical outcomes included hospitalization and mortality. To evaluate the effects of polypharmacy on outpatient visits, medication costs, and total expenditures, we performed a multivariable linear regression analysis. A two-part model was used to estimate hospitalization costs.
resultsThe analysis included 3,297 participants. Polypharmacy was significantly associated with higher hospitalization risk (OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.28-1.81) and mortality (OR, 3.17; 95% CI, 1.19-8.44). Polypharmacy also corresponded with increased healthcare expenditures, particularly in total, outpatient visit, and medication costs, with the highest associations observed in individuals aged 65-79 and those living alone. Multivariable linear regression revealed a higher annual average total healthcare cost by 872,018 KRW, with outpatient and medication costs by 324,879 KRW and 536,721 KRW, respectively (p < 0.05) for polypharmacy group than the counterparts.
conclusionThis study demonstrates that polypharmacy among older adults is significantly associated with higher healthcare costs and risks of hospitalization and mortality. Findings suggest that integrated care models, incorporating medication reviews and tailored care plans, alongside community resources to support isolated seniors, may mitigate healthcare costs and improve health outcomes.
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