Factors Associated With Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Rural, Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use is a serious public health problem in older adults because it may lead to adverse events. The purpose of the current study was to explore PIM use in rural, community-dwelling older adults. Participants (N = 138) underwent one-on-one medication reviews. Approximately one half (49%) of the sample used prescribed and over-the-counter (OTC) PIM. Prescribed and OTC nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (33%) and anticholinergic medications (28%) were the most frequently used PIM. Use of PIM was associated with a higher number of medications (r = 0.331, p < 0.01), more medical providers (r = 0.223, p < 0.001), and poor physical health (r = -0.193, p < 0.05). Higher number of medications increased the probability of PIM use by 85% (odds ratio: 1.8; 95% confidence interval [1.19, 2.84]). Findings highlight the importance of re-evaluating the monitoring of medications in rural, community-dwelling older adults and the need for sustainable interventions to reduce prescribing and OTC PIM use.