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Table 1 Baseline characteristics of participants according to polypharmacy, England 2012–2013

From: Polypharmacy is a risk factor for hospital admission due to a fall: evidence from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

 

Polypharmacy

 
 

No medications

1–4 medications

5–9 medications

(polypharmacy)

10+ medications

(heightened polypharmacy)

P Value

Number of Respondents

1720

3051

1290

159

 

Age, years: mean (s.e.)

64.07 (0.23)

66.04 (0.24)

71.00 (0.39)

71.02 (0.81)

< 0.001

Women, % (n)

47.3 (909)

54.5 (1729)

52.3 (675)

50.2 (85)

< 0.001

Hospitalization due to falls by 2018, % (n)

1.5 (33)

4.7 (153)

7.9 (99)

14.8 (25)

< 0.001

Deaths [by March 2018], % (n)

3.1 (63)

8.1 (245)

19.3 (240)

30.8 (46)

< 0.001

Living alone, % (n)

23.5 (430)

28.8 (917)

36.1 (469)

38.7 (66)

< 0.001

Highest level of education, % (n)

 Degree,

22.6 (404)

15.7 (533)

11.5 (148)

11.5 (21)

< 0.001

 Intermediate

61.5 (1064)

58.7 (1805)

46.8 (722)

46.8 (81)

 No qualification

15.9 (252)

25.6 (713)

41.7 (420)

41.7 (57)

Poor vision, % (n)

7.8 (123)

11.1 (314)

21.2 (255)

29.8 (48)

< 0.001

Diagnoses and Health conditions, % (n)

 CHD

0.4 (10)

4.9 (158)

28.5 (355)

53.3 (82)

< 0.001

 Diabetes

0.7 (15)

8.2 (235)

30.9 (383)

47.3 (77)

< 0.001

 Depression

3.9 (66)

8.1 (224)

11.4 (115)

18.9 (29)

< 0.001

 Asthma or lung disease

4.7 (74)

14.6 (437)

25.2 (310)

53.4 (80)

< 0.001

 Stroke

0.3 (6)

2.9 (92)

11.2 (142)

17.0 (23)

< 0.001

 Cancer

3.2 (59)

5.4 (171)

7.8 (108)

7.3 (13)

< 0.001

 Arthritis

20.0 (411)

39.1 (1268)

58.8 (753)

72.0 (117)

< 0.001

 Parkinson’s disease

0.0 (1)

0.6 (20)

1.0 (14)

2.6 (4)

< 0.001

 Alzheimer’s disease

0.0 (0)

0.1 (3)

0.4 (4)

0 (0)

0.055

 Dementia

0.1 (3)

0.7 (18)

1.9 (20)

2.1 (2)

0.001

Has 3+ long-term conditions, % (n)

0.6 (12)

3.2 (100)

22.0 (255)

53.5 (84)

< 0.001

Takes 2+ FRIDsa, % (n)

0

30.1 (924)

85.6 (1100)

95.3 (151)

< 0.001

Difficulty in ADL or IADL, % (n)

8.6 (149)

22.1 (649)

49.6 (582)

68.9 (109)

< 0.001

Limitations in mobility, mean (s.e.)

0.69 (0.04)

1.70 (0.05)

3.58 (0.10)

5.57 (0.26)

< 0.001

Hardly ever engage in physical activity, % (n)

5.3 (83)

14.1 (388)

34.8 (381)

55.4 (83)

< 0.001

BMI value: mean (s.e.)

27.19 (0.14)

28.55 (0.11)

30.37 (0.19)

31.57 (0.55)

< 0.001

Current smoker, % (n)

15.0 (205)

12.4 (302)

13.4 (151)

21.7 (32)

0.021

Almost daily alcohol consumption, % (n)

19.7 (382)

20.5 (673)

15.9 (227)

13.7 (22)

0.007

Memory index: mean (s.e.)

11.80 (0.09)

10.92 (0.07)

9.51 (0.11)

8.40 (0.32)

< 0.001

  1. Source: ELSA, Wave 6. Weighted data. a FRID Fall-risk increasing drugs