Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42699965›Full record

ArticleIndian journal of community medicine : official publication of Indian Association of Preventive & Social Medicine2026

A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study to Assess the Prevalence of Polypharmacy and Potentially Inappropriate Medications among Elderly Patients in Urban Areas of Western Rajasthan.

Pritanjali Kumari, Jaykaran Charan, Pankaj Bhardwaj, Bharat Kumar, Akhil D Goel, Pravesh Aggarwal, Rashmi Kaushal, Prem Prakash Sharma

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Article in Indian journal of community medicine : official publication of Indian Association of Preventive & Social Medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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2 · The registry

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Pritanjali KumariSchool of Public Health, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India.
Jaykaran CharanDepartment of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India.
Pankaj BhardwajDepartment of Community Medicine and Family Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India.
Bharat KumarDepartment of General Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India.
Akhil D GoelDepartment of Community Medicine and Family Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India.
Pravesh AggarwalDepartment of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India.
Rashmi KaushalSchool of Public Health, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India.
Prem Prakash SharmaDepartment of Community Medicine and Family Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: The elderly population is increasing worldwide, including India. This population has multiple chronic conditions, leading to the prescription of multiple drugs called polypharmacy. This increases the risk of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs). This study aimed to assess the prevalence of polypharmacy and PIM use among elderly individuals in urban western Rajasthan and identify associated factors. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April to June 2024 in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. A total of 265 elderly individuals (aged 60 and above) were selected through convenience sampling. Data on demographics, comorbidities, and medication use were collected using a semi-structured, pre-validated questionnaire. Polypharmacy was defined as the use of five or more medications. PIMs were identified using the 2023 American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria. Data were analyzed using SPSS v23.0 with logistic regression to identify predictors. Results: The prevalence of polypharmacy was 64.5% (95% CI 58.6-70.04). Diabetes (OR: 4.34), hypertension (OR: 2.24), and heart disease (OR: 4.42) were significantly associated with polypharmacy. PIMs were used by 65.3% of participants and were significantly linked to depression ( Conclusion: Polypharmacy and PIM use are highly prevalent among the elderly in urban western Rajasthan. Chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart conditions, significantly increase medication usage and patient risk. These findings emphasize the need for regular medication reviews, elderly-focused prescribing guidelines, and enhanced provider awareness to ensure safe drug use in geriatric care.

Indexed as

Beers criteriacomorbiditieselderlypolypharmacypotentially inappropriate medicationsRajasthanurban health

Identifiers

PMID42699965
PMCPMC13544933

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