Use of dietary supplements by female seniors in a large Northern California health plan.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Women aged >or= 65 years are high utilizers of prescription and over-the-counter medications, and many of these women are also taking dietary supplements. Dietary supplement use by older women is a concern because of possible side effects and drug-supplement interactions. The primary aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive picture of dietary supplement use among older women in a large health plan in Northern California, USA, to raise awareness among health care providers and pharmacists about the need for implementing structural and educational interventions to minimize adverse consequences of self-directed supplement use. A secondary aim was to raise awareness about how the focus on use of herbals and megavitamins that has occurred in most surveys of complement

SUBMITTER: Gordon NP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC549557 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature