The Prevalence and Effect of Potentially Inappropriate Medication of Elderly in Long Term Care Facility

Polypharmacy are quite usual among the elderly because of their multiple comorbid conditions. Thus the chances of adverse drug events are theoretical higher. The problems are even more severe among those disabled elderly patients. The study on potentially inappropriate medication for those disable elderly reside in long-term care facilities are lacking in our country. This study is designed to study the trend, risk factors and prognosis of potentially inappropriate medications among the study population. The investigation are going to utilize the National Health Insurance Research Database, government reports and documentation, questionnaire survey to shed lights on the issues as below: 1. To analyze the prevalence and long-term trends of potentially inappropriate medication among different aged population (country-wide population, community-base, and instituted elderly). 2. To evaluate the effect of government health care policy on potentially inappropriate medication in elderly population. 3. To understand the relationship of potentially inappropriate medication and risk of fracture, infection, hospitalization and death in elderly population. 4. To compare the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication among different types of long-term care institutions. Throughout the study we will be able to demonstrate the appropriateness of medication in elderly within our study period and identify the risk factors of inappropriate medication in the elderly. Hopefully the evidence-based result may in some way improve the medication safety in elderly in the future.