To analyze variations in the prevalence of chronic use of medicines by older adults in Brazil according to its possible association with the most prevalent chronic diseases and demographic and health factors, and to identify risk factors for polypharmacy.
A study based on data from the National Survey on Access, Use and Promotion of Rational Use of Medicines (PNAUM), a cross-sectional, population-based survey with probability sampling in Brazilian urban areas. The independent variable was the number of chronic-use medicines taken by older adults, linked to eight chronic diseases investigated. The intervening variables were gender, age group, marital status, level of education, socioeconomic status, Brazilian region, body mass index, smoking, self-perceived health, hospitalization in the previous year and having health insurance, besides the investigated chronic diseases. A multivariable analysis identified risk factors for polypharmacy.
Prevalence of at least one chronic-use medicines among older adults was 93.0%. Of the total number of older adults, 18.0% used at least five medications (polypharmacy). Polypharmacy was higher among the oldest individuals (20.0%), in the South region (25.0%), in those with poor self-perceived health (35.0%), in obese individuals (26.0%), in those with reported health insurance (23.0%) or hospitalization in the previous year (31.0%), and among those who reported any of the investigated diseases, particularly diabetes (36.0%) and heart diseases (43.0%). The variables remaining in the final risk model for polypharmacy were age, region, perceived health, health insurance, hospitalization in the previous year and all investigated diseases except stroke.
Older adults with specific diseases have risk factors for polypharmacy modifiable by actions aimed at the rational use of medicines. With the current population aging and successful drug access policy, the trend is an increase in drug use by older adults, which should feature as a priority in the planning agenda of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS).
Analisar as variações da prevalência do uso crônico de medicamentos por idosos no Brasil segundo sua possível associação com as doenças crônicas mais prevalentes, fatores sociodemográficos e de saúde, e identificar fatores de risco para polifarmácia.
Estudo com dados da Pesquisa Nacional de Acesso, Utilização e Promoção do Uso Racional de Medicamentos, de caráter transversal e amostra probabilística populacional em municípios brasileiros urbanos. A variável independente foi o número de medicamentos de uso crônico por idosos, vinculados às oito doenças crônicas investigadas. As variáveis intervenientes foram sexo, faixa etária, situação conjugal, escolaridade, nível socioeconômico, região do País, índice de massa corporal, hábito de fumar, percepção da própria saúde, internação no último ano e posse de plano de saúde privado, além das doenças crônicas referidas. Uma análise multivariável identificou os fatores de risco para polifarmácia.
A prevalência de pelo menos um medicamento de uso crônico entre idosos foi de 93,0%. Do total de idosos, 18,0% utilizavam pelo menos cinco medicamentos (polifarmácia). A polifarmácia foi maior entre os mais idosos (20,0%), na região Sul (25,0%), nos que avaliaram a própria saúde como ruim (35,0%), nos obesos (26,0%), nos que referiram ter plano de saúde (23,0%) ou internação no último ano (31,0%) e entre os que referiram qualquer uma das doenças investigadas, particularmente diabetes (36,0%) e doenças cardíacas (43,0%). No modelo final de risco para polifarmácia permaneceram idade, região, percepção de saúde, posse de plano de saúde, internação no último ano e todas as doenças investigadas exceto acidente vascular cerebral.
Idosos com doenças específicas têm fatores de risco para polifarmácia modificáveis por ações que visem o uso racional de medicamentos. Com o envelhecimento populacional em curso e a política exitosa de acesso a medicamentos, a tendência é aumentar a utilização de medicamentos por idosos, que deve ser prioridade na agenda de planejamento do Sistema Único de Saúde.
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science
48
13%
Agricultural and Biological Sciences
8
2%
Psychology
6
2%
Other
23
6%
Unknown
150
41%
Attention Score in Context
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 17. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 22 August 2026.
All research outputs
#2,798,172
of 34,187,362 outputs
Outputs from Revista de Saúde Pública
#46
of 1,447 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#40,811
of 452,912 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Revista de Saúde Pública
#2
of 37 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 34,187,362 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done particularly well and is in the 91st percentile: it's in the top 10% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 1,447 research outputs from this source. They receive a mean Attention Score of 4.9. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 96% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 452,912 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 90% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 37 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 94% of its contemporaries.
