OBJECTIVE: To examine the self-reported use of
over-the-counter (OTC) medications and the factors associated
with OTC use in a rural older population.
DESIGN: A
cross-sectional study of an age-stratified random community
sample.
SETTING: The mid-Monongahela Valley, a rural
area of Southwestern Pennsylvania.
PARTICIPANTS: A
total of 1059 older individuals with a mean age of 74.5 (+/-
5.5) years, 96.9% of whom were white and 57.3% of whom were
women.
MEASUREMENTS: Self-reported over-the-counter
drug use and demographic information, and information about
prescription drug use and recent use of health services.
RESULTS: The majority (87.0%) of the sample were taking at
least one OTC medication; 5.7% reported taking five or more
OTCs. Women took significantly more OTCs than did men (P <
.001). Individuals with more education took significantly more
OTCs than those who had less (P = .018). The OTC category used
most commonly was analgesics (66.3% overall), followed by
vitamin and mineral supplements (38.1%), antacids (27.9%), and
laxatives (9.7%). The use of analgesics decreased
significantly (P = .018) with increasing age, whereas the use
of laxatives increased significantly (P < .001). Women were
more likely than men to be using each of these four major OTC
groups. Unlike the associations with prescription drug use we
reported previously in the same population, there were no
significant associations for overall OTC use with age or with
the use of health services. However, although vitamin use (as
an example of an OTC drug taken for "preventive" purposes) was
not associated with health services use, the use of laxatives
(as an example of a "curative" OTC) was significantly
associated (P < or = .002) with a greater number of physician
visits, emergency room visits, hospitalizations during the
past 6 months, home health care service utilization, and
number of prescription medications.
CONCLUSIONS: A
substantial proportion of our older sample reported using a
variety of over-the-counter drugs. Analgesics and
vitamin/mineral supplements were the most frequently used
categories. Women and those with more education were taking
more OTC drugs. OTC use was not related to age, but the use of
analgesics decreased with age while laxative use increased
with age. Unlike prescription drug use, overall OTC drug use
was not associated with health services utilization.