Factors associated with refraining from buying prescribed medications among older people in Europe

Abstract

Aim To evaluate the associations between refraining from buying prescribed medications and selected factors among older persons.

Methods A total of 4467 people aged 60–84 years from seven European countries answered a questionnaire (response rate 45.2%). Refraining from buying prescribed medications was measured with the question: ‘Have you ever refrained from buying prescribed medication and care?’

Results About 11.9% of older people refrained from buying prescribed medications. The multiple regression analysis showed that ages 60–64 (odds ratio (OR) = 2.08; 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 1.38–3.13) and 65–69 (OR = 1.73; 95%CI: 1.16–2.57) years, experience of financial strain (OR = 1.59; 95%CI: 1.27–2.01), as well as exposure to abuse (OR = 1.64; 95%CI: 1.31–2.06) when taking into account country of participant were independently associated with refraining from buying medications, while an opposite association was observed for being male (OR = 0.72; 95%CI: 0.58–0.91).

Conclusions The study found that refraining from buying prescription medications is a problem among older people and identified a number of factors associated with this.