Nationwide Long-Term Evaluation of Polypharmacy Reduction Policies Focusing on Older Adults in Japan.

ABSTRACT: Polypharmacy is a serious health issue for older adults worldwide, including in Japan, which has a rapidly aging society. The "Proper Medication Guideline for Older Adults" was published for healthcare providers in May 2018, and polypharmacy reduction incentives were initiated for medical facilities in April 2016 and April 2018. This study identified the long-term reduction in polypharmacy prescriptions focusing on older adults aged 75 years and above from April 2015 to March 2019. The national health insurance claims database, which covers most reimbursement claims in Japan, was selected as the primary data source. In this study, polypharmacy was defined as the simultaneous prescription of seven or more medications or multi-psychotropic medications. The primary outcome was the polypharmac

SUBMITTER: Ishida T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9691254 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature