The rational drug use of elderly individuals receiving home care service and the affecting factors

Abstract

The study was conducted descriptively for the purpose of examining the rational drug use of elderly individuals receiving home care service and the affect ingfactors. Itwas carried out between October 2016 - May 2017. Sample of the study consisted of 320 individuals. Data were collecte dusing; Questionnaire Form, Standardized MiniMental Test and Standardized Mini Mental Test for Illiterate. The data were analyze dusing descriptive statistics, chi-square analysis. It was determined that 54.1% of theelderly individuals immediately went to the doctor when they got sick, 59.7% went to the doctor only when they got sick and 85% had any chronic disease. It was determined that there was a statistically significant difference between the individuals in terms of the time of going to the doctor, following the doctor’s instructions, understanding the advice on drugs, knowing the intended purpose of drugs, checking the expire date of drugs and taking drugs in time according to age; in terms of understandingthe advice on drugs according to gender; in terms of following the doctor’s instructions and understanding the advice on drugs according to educational background; interms of understanding the advice on drugs, knowing the intended purpose of drugs and checking the expire date of drugs according to marital status; and in terms ofunderstanding the advice on drugs, knowing the intended purpose of drugs and checking the expire date of drugs according to income status (p<0.05). As a consequence, itis seen that rational drug use of elderly individuals receiving home care is not uptothe mark. Thus, it can be suggested to apply health trainings to both elderly individualsand individuals providing home care on rational drug use.