This study aimed to assess the prevalence and factors associated with use of prescribed and non-prescribed medications among older adults living in Bambuí, Minas Gerais, Brazil. A total of 1,606 (92.2%) out of 1,742 inhabitants aged 60+ years were interviewed. Among the participants, 1,281 (79.7%) and 274 (17.1%) had used prescribed and non-prescribed drugs in the previous 90 days, respectively. Use of prescribed medications was independently associated with gender (female), age (70-79 and > or = 80), higher family income, worse health conditions, and physician visits. Non-prescribed medications were negatively associated with physician visits and positively associated with female gender and consultation with a pharmacist. In general, factors associated with the use of prescribed and non-prescribed drugs in this study were similar to those observed in studies conducted in other countries. Meanwhile, our results differ from those of other studies by showing less frequent use of prescribed medications among the poorer elderly. Moreover, our results suggest that self-medication has been used in place of formal health care in the study community.

Enfrentamento da incapacidade funcional por idosos por meio de crenças religiosasCoping with functional disability among the elderly by means of religious beliefs

Religiousness, social support and the use of antidepressants among the elderly: a population-based studyReligiosidade, suporte social e uso de antidepressivos entre idosos residentes em comunidade: um estudo de base populacional

Objective: This study investigated the associated factors with negative self-rated health among hypertensive and/or diabetic elderly. Methods: All the participants of Bambuí Project elderly cohort who suffered from hypertension and/or diabetes and who answered the questionnaire without the help of a close informant were selected for this (n = 942). Covariates encompassed sociodemographic characteristics, social support, health behaviors, health status and use of health services. Results: Negative self-rated health showed positively associated with dissatisfaction with social relations (PR = 1.98, 95%CI 1.42 -2.76), attendance at religious services less than once a month (PR = 1.96, 95%CI 1.44 -2.68; be smokers (PR = 1.64, 95%CI 1.24 -2.17), presence of arthritis (PR = 1.35, 95%CI 1.07 -1.71), depressive symptoms (PR = 1.81, 95%CI 1.37 -2.39) and insomnia (PR = 1.37, 95%CI 1.06 -1.78), having consulted the doctor two or more times in the last twelve months (PR = 2.18; 95%CI 1.14 -4.19 and PR = 3.96; 95%CI 2.10 -7.48, respectively for "2 -3" and "4+" visits), and have hypertension and diabetes (compared to the isolated presence of hypertension) Conclusions: Our results confirmed the multidimensional nature of self-rated health and were consistent with that observed in other national and international studies. Keywords