Cornerstone Wellness, Inc., Medina, Ohio, USA.
Aging Ment Health. 2010 Nov;14(8):1008-14. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2010.501067.
Older adults are a population vulnerable to the effects of alcohol, medication-to-alcohol interactions, and combining multiple medications. This study examines the effectiveness of a prevention program to increase older adults' knowledge about these risks.
Older adults (N = 348) were asked to participate in a prevention program and to take a pre- and post-test measuring knowledge about the risks of taking multiple medications and of alcohol use as one ages, before and after participation. A subsample of the group (N = 60) was followed at 30 days after participation in the program and asked to complete a survey on how the program affected their attitudes and choices regarding their medications and alcohol use.
Results show a significant increase in knowledge about older adults' risks related to their medication and alcohol use from pre- to post-test. The group sampled at 30 days after program participation showed that the majority either agreed or strongly agreed that their attitudes had changed toward more awareness and increased understanding of the importance of knowing their risks related to medication use, medication interactions, multiple medications or polypharmacy, and alcohol.
As a result of this intervention, older adults gained knowledge about their own risks related to medication use, medication interactions, multiple medications or polypharmacy, and alcohol use. Further research is needed to replicate these findings and to determine how prevention education can reduce these risks for older adults.
老年人是易受酒精影响、药物与酒精相互作用以及同时使用多种药物影响的人群。本研究旨在检验预防项目提高老年人对这些风险的认识的有效性。
研究要求 348 名老年人参加预防项目，并在参加前后分别进行一次关于同时服用多种药物和随年龄增长饮酒风险的知识测试。在项目结束后 30 天，对该组的一个子样本（n=60）进行了随访，并要求他们完成一份关于项目如何影响他们对药物和酒精使用的态度和选择的调查。
结果表明，与参加项目前相比，老年人对与药物和酒精使用相关的风险的知识有了显著提高。在项目结束后 30 天接受抽样调查的人群中，大多数人表示，他们的态度已经发生了变化，更加意识到并更加了解了解与药物使用、药物相互作用、多种药物或多药治疗以及酒精使用相关的风险的重要性。
通过这一干预措施，老年人获得了关于他们自身与药物使用、药物相互作用、多种药物或多药治疗以及酒精使用相关的风险的知识。需要进一步研究以复制这些发现，并确定预防教育如何降低老年人的这些风险。
