Hanan Elzeblawy Hassan^1,, Soheir Badr-Elden², Sameer Hamdi³, Mohamed Elsayed Aboudonya⁴

Background: Poly-pharmacy has previously been recognized as a key predictor of potentially inappropriate prescription in the elderly. The number of medicines used is not always symptomatic of Poly-pharmacy since all of the prescriptions may be clinically required and acceptable for the patient; nevertheless, as the number of prescribed drugs grows, so does the likelihood of Poly-pharmacy. Aim of the study: The study aims to assess the level of knowledge regarding Poly-pharmacy among old-age patients. Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study design was used. Subjects & Setting: sample size was 114 elderly patients from elderly patients visiting outpatient clinics monthly. Tool: An interview questionnaire to assess geriatric patient’s Poly-pharmacy knowledge. Results: Two-thirds of the study sample (66.7%) were taking medications based on their own previous experience, 41.2% was unaware of the Poly-pharmacy definition, 36.8% didn’t know about Poly-pharmacy contributing factors, 38.5% was unaware of GIT side effects related to Poly-pharmacy, 35.9% was unaware of the Poly-pharmacy impact on their cognitive function, 29.8% didn’t know the measures that are reducing Poly-pharmacy. Conclusion: The prevalence of Poly-pharmacy and its consequences among the elderly is significantly consequent to the level of education. Recommended: Designing an educational program for the elderly to increase their awareness and knowledge about the phenomenon of drug abuse and its consequences.

poly-pharmacy, old age, knowledge