Prevalence of polypharmacy and associated factors in older adults living in Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil: a cross-sectional population-based study, 2014. / Prevalência e fatores associados à polifarmácia em idosos residentes em Rio Branco, Acre, Brasil: estudo transversal de base populacional, 2014.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze polypharmacy prevalence and associated factors in older adults living in Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil, in 2014. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional population-based study using complex sampling with older adults. Polypharmacy was defined as concomitant use of five or more medications. RESULTS: Polypharmacy prevalence was 14.9% (95%CI 11.8;18.6), positively associated with females (OR=2.29 - 95%CI 1.41;3.74), white race/skin color (OR=1.61 - 95%CI 1.10;2.38), dependence (OR=1.65 - 95%CI 1.05;2.60), change in eating habits/dieting (OR=1.66 - 95%CI 1.16;2.36), hospitalization in the last 12 months (OR=1.61 - 95%CI 1.02;2.53) and presence of the following self-reported morbidities: systemic arterial hypertension (OR=2.40 - 95%CI 1.33;4.34), diabetes mellitus (OR=2.17 - 95%CI 1.23;3.84), osteoporosis (OR=2.92 - 95%CI 1.84;4.64) and heart problems (OR=2.94 - 95%CI 1.90;4.56). CONCLUSION: This study found that polypharmacy in the older adults was associated with demographic and health conditions.