Medication Use Behaviors in the elderly patient with Chronic disease at Chomsri village, Udonthani Province

Abstract

The purposes of this descriptive study were to investigate health problems and medication use behaviors in the elderly patients with Chronic disease at Chomsri village, Udonthani Province. The study employed an interview with 93 elderly patients with Chronic disease living in the village. The questionnaires of opinions and behaviors toward medication use concised of 5 rating scales. Testing the reliable of questionnaires was at 0.89. Data analysis using descriptive statistics. The results showed. 1) Health problems, Mostly of the elderly patients had Hypertension (23.13%). Recently symptoms found back pain, fatigue, vertigo, anorexia, constipation and syncope. 92.20% took modern medicines and perceived medicine knowledge at a medium level. 2) The opinions toward medicine usage, they had appropriated opinion about giving drug allergy information to the physician (X¯ 4.55, S.D. 0.60). Consulting pharmacist when they had medicine problems (X¯. 4.44, S.D. 0.60) but they had in appropriated opinions about using other medicine (X¯ 4.20, S.D. 1.07), took medicine capsule out for rapidly action (X¯ 4.00, S.D. 1.22) and stop using medicine themselves. (X¯ 3.62, S.D. 1.27) .3) Medication use behaviors, they had appropriated behaviors about frequency routine check up (X¯ 4.52, S.D. 0.65), giving drug allergy information to the physician (X¯ 4.55, S.D. 0.62) and taking medicine follow prescription (X¯ 4.33, S.D. 0.58). They had in appropriated behaviors about adjust by Increasing or decreasing medicine (X¯ 4.47, S.D. 0.97), using other medicine (X¯ 4.41, S.D. 0.76) and only few of them shared medicine experiences with others (X¯ 2.67, S.D. 2.56). Overall medicine use behaviors was at high level. From The results, health personal should provide knowledge activities to promote attitudes and behaviors toward medicine for the elderly.