Abstract
The Association Between Poor Social Health, Polypharmacy and Potentially High-Risk Medication Use
Canadian geriatrics journal CGJ, Vol.28(3), pp.327-327
09/01/2025
Abstract
Background/Purpose: Poor social health (loneliness, social isolation and/or low social support) is associated with physical and psychological symptoms, such as pain, insomnia, anxiety, and depression. These symptoms may lead to prescription of multiple high-risk medications rather than social interventions that may address their underlying causes. We sought to evaluate the relationship between poor social health and polypharmacy and/or high-risk medication use.Method: We conducted a secondary analysis of 16,439 older adults in the ASPREE Longitudinal Study of Older Persons (ALSOP). We used logistic regression to test whether loneliness, social isolation or lack of social support (individually and as a composite measure) were associated with polypharmacy and/or potentially high-risk medication use (i.e. opioids, sedative/hypnotics, and antidepressants).Results: We identified 1259 older adults with poor social health. Polypharmacy was associated with loneliness (OR 1.46, 1.18-1.80, p<0.001) and low social support (OR, 1.13-1.67, p=0.002), but not social isolation. Poor social health (as a composite measure) was not significantly associated with polypharmacy. Poor social health was associated with sedative-hypnotic (OR 1.47, 1.20-1.78, p<0.001), opioid (OR 1.98, 1.41-2.72, p<0.001) and antidepressant use (OR 1.79, 1.33-2.21, p<0.001), but thresholds for statistical significance were not met in analyses adjusted for age, sex, frailty, co-morbidity and sociodemographic risk factors.Discussion: Loneliness and low social support are associated with polypharmacy and they are important risk factors to consider when trying to deprescribe and optimize the medication use of older adults. Larger studies are needed to better understand the impact of poor social health on the prescription of many potentially high-risk medications.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- The Association Between Poor Social Health, Polypharmacy and Potentially High-Risk Medication Use
- Creators
- Zain PasatJulia Gilmartin-ThomasRosanne FreakPoliAlexandra PapaioannouJonathan BroderMichael ErnstJohn McNeilGustavo DuqueJustin Lee
- Resource Type
- Abstract
- Publication Details
- Canadian geriatrics journal CGJ, Vol.28(3), pp.327-327
- eISSN
- 1925-8348
- Publisher
- Canadian Geriatrics Society
- Comment
- Abstracts from the 44th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Canadian Geriatrics Society: Enhancing Care for Vulnerable Populations: Addressing Challenges and Equity in Canada’s Healthcare System; May 29–31 2025; Toronto, Ontario. Can Geriatr J [Internet]. 2025 Sep. 3 ;28(3):281-327. https://doi.org/10.5770/cgj.28.884
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 09/01/2025
- Academic Unit
- Family and Community Medicine; Pharmacy Practice and Science
- Record Identifier
- 9984962546702771
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