Harper D C, Wadsworth J S, Michael A L
Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242.
Res Dev Disabil. 1989;10(1):53-60. doi: 10.1016/0891-4222(89)90028-0.
Use of psychotropic medications with elders who are mentally retarded is a very common procedure. However, patterns of medication usage in this group are not easily determined. Objectives were to explore relationships between prescribed psychotropic treatments, the types of reported behavioral difficulties, and the size/type of living settings where these difficulties were exhibited. Subjects were moderately mentally retarded elders who were living in Congregate and Group care settings who were observed and rated by caretakers using a standard behavior rating instrument. Comprehensive medical (drug) and demographic data was obtained on each person. The study revealed that psychotropic use was more frequent in congregate care settings for these older clients. Those more elderly demonstrated a tendency toward higher utilization. Little differences were evident in the general characteristics (sex, IQ, reality orientation) of elders living in the two settings despite differences in drug use rates. Future research needs to focus on differences in behavior problems and setting factors to more fully understand drug utilization rates in elders with mental retardation.
对智障老年人使用精神药物是一种非常常见的做法。然而，该群体的用药模式并不容易确定。研究目的是探讨处方精神药物治疗、所报告的行为困难类型以及出现这些困难的生活环境的规模/类型之间的关系。研究对象是中度智障的老年人，他们生活在集体照料和小组照料环境中，由看护人员使用标准行为评定工具进行观察和评分。收集了每个人的综合医疗（药物）和人口统计学数据。研究表明，在这些老年客户的集体照料环境中，精神药物的使用更为频繁。年龄较大者表现出更高的用药倾向。尽管用药率存在差异，但生活在两种环境中的老年人在一般特征（性别、智商、现实定向）方面几乎没有明显差异。未来的研究需要关注行为问题和环境因素的差异，以便更全面地了解智障老年人的药物使用率。
