A Study of Drug-Use Behaviours of Elderly Patients with Chronic Illness, Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital

Abstract

This descriptive research design aims to study the principle of drug use behaviours, preventing adverse drug reactions behaviours, and drug storage behaviours among elderly patients with chronic illness who came to the particular medical clinic Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital. The sampling consisted of 88 elderly patients with chronic illness by purposive sampling. The research instrument was questionnaire which consisted of the principle of drug-use behaviours, preventing adverse drug reactions behaviours, and drug storage behaviours which their reliability calculated by Cronbach's alpha coefficient were 0.84, 0.79 and 0.82 respectively. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation

The results showed average age was 73.74 years ± 7.87 years.  The majority of them married 47.7%, graduated from primary school 31.80%, retire from work 44.30%, using medicine more than 5 types 42.00%. The principle of drug- use behaviours were appropriated at high levels 77.30%, preventing adverse drug reactions behaviours were appropriated at high levels 75.00%, and drug storage behaviours were appropriated at high levels 51.10%

             Suggestions:  according to research finding, it was found drug storage behaviours were appropriated at high levels just only 51.10%. Thus, an evaluation of knowledge and understanding of drug storage behaviours should be done to promote safety drug use.