Self-Reported Symptoms in the Elderly

Abstract

In a cross-sectional study, we have investigated the prevalence of self-reported symptoms and their association with medicinal drug use in elderly people. Data from the Kungsholmen Project were used, a population-based study of elderly people aged 75 years and over in Stockholm, Sweden. The study sample comprised 1800 persons. Information on the occurrence of 22 different symptoms and the actual drug use was obtained at interviews with the participants. The relation of symptoms to age, gender and housing, and their association with drug use was analysed using logistic regression. The most commonly reported symptoms were pain and tiredness. In general, symptoms were more common in women and at higher ages. Many of the associations between symptoms and drug use reflected established treatments. However, some were suggestive of inappropriate treatment or dosage; for example, the association between tiredness and the use of anxiolytics and hypnotics-sedatives.

Drug use by demented and non-demented elderly people

“…The high use of opioids in sheltered accommodation might also be explained by a higher incidence of painful disorders in elderly people living in this type of housing. However, in another study of the Kungsholmen project no significant differences were found in the prevalence of pain between different types of housing [39], which would argue against this hypothesis. Another unexpected finding was of a low use of laxatives by demented people in institutional care compared with non-demented people.…”