‘Troubling’ medication reviews in the context of polypharmacy and ageing: A linguistic ethnography

Sarah Pocknell, Nina Fudge, Sarah Collins, Celia Roberts and Deborah Swinglehurst

Social Science & Medicine, 2024, vol. 352, issue C

Abstract: Healthy ageing is a global priority. Polypharmacy (the use of 5+ medicines) amongst older people is increasing, with over one-third of adults in England, aged 80–89, prescribed at least eight medications. Although sometimes necessary, polypharmacy can be harmful; the risk of harm increases with age and number of medicines prescribed. Medication reviews are recommended as one way of reducing the potential harms of polypharmacy although evidence of clinically significant benefit of medication reviews as currently delivered is limited. What happens in medication reviews in practice is poorly understood.

Keywords: Polypharmacy; Ageing; Medication management; Primary care; Healthcare interaction; Ethnography (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.117025

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