Polypharmacy Is Associated with Sociodemographic Factors and Socioeconomic Status in United States Adults

Abstract

A thorough understanding of polypharmacy is required to create public health initiatives that minimize the potential for adverse outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between sociodemographic factors, socioeconomic status (SES), and polypharmacy risk in United States (US) individuals between 1999–2000 and 2017–2018. The cross-sectional National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey dataset covered ten cycles between 1999–2000 and 2017–2018. All individuals aged ≥18 years were included. The simultaneous use of at least five medications by one person is known as polypharmacy. Multivariable logistic regression showed that there was a statistically significant association between polypharmacy sociodemographic factors (such as age between 45 and 64 (odds ratio [OR] = 3.76; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.60–3.92; p < 0.0001) and age of 65 years or above (OR = 3.96; 95% CI = 3.79–4.13; p < 0.0001), especially women (OR = 1.09; 95% CI = 1.06–1.13; p < 0.0001), non-Hispanic blacks (OR = 1.66; 95% CI = 1.51–1.83; p < 0.0001), and veterans (OR = 1.27; 95% CI = 1.22–1.31; p < 0.0001)) and SES (such as being married (OR = 1.14; 95% CI = 1.08–1.19; p = 0.031), widowed, divorced, or separated (OR = 1.21; 95% CI = 1.15–1.26; p < 0.0001), a college graduate or above (OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.15–1.27, p < 0.0001), and earning > USD 55,000 per year (OR = 1.86; 95% CI = 1.79–1.93; p < 0.0001)). Individuals aged 45 years and above, women, and non-Hispanic blacks with higher educational levels and yearly incomes were more likely to experience polypharmacy in the US between 1999–2000 and 2017–2018.