AimTo evaluate the associations between refraining from buying
prescribed medications and selected factors among older persons.
MethodsA 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?’
ResultsAbout 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).
ConclusionsThe study found that refraining from buying prescription
medications is a problem among older people and identified a number of
factors associated with this
