The development and evaluation of management strategies designed to address poly-morbidity in older people: Implications [ 2006 - 2012 ]

Research Grant

Researchers: Prof Andrew Gilbert (Principal investigator) ,  Prof Adrian Esterman ,  Prof Elizabeth Roughead ,  Prof Mary Luszcz ,  Prof Philip Ryan
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Brief description Medicines are used to prevent or manage the symptoms of chronic disease, and thus their appropriate use impacts significantly on the quality of life of the elderly. Poly-morbidity, multiple chronic health problems affecting the one individual, is a common and increasing issue in our ageing population. In Australia, 60% of 65 year olds have 2 or more chronic conditions, while 80% of 85 year olds have 4 or more chronic conditions. As a result, medicine use is almost universal in the older population and it is common for older patients to take multiple medications concurrently. There are no studies which report on current patterns of care and their outcomes in these patients. The use of individual disease-specific management guidelines may be problematic for those with poly-morbidity. Disease specific treatment guidelines often fail to take into account complexities that arise when patients suffer from more than one chronic disease particularly when it is common for one treatment to be both beneficial and harmful in the same person. In addition, the evidence for medicine-based treatment often comes from studies on younger people. Consequently, older patients with lower tolerance are at a greater risk of adverse drug reactions and are admitted to hospital as a result of such reactions at a disproportionately high rate. The aim of this study is to establish a methodology, by examination of two health databases, for developing guidelines to achieve the best possible outcomes for older Australians with common combinations of chronic conditions. This research will provide a better understanding of the consequences of current patterns of care for older people with multiple chronic conditions, and enable the development of improved approaches to care. We will demonstrate the methodology using selected commonly occurring combinations of chronic conditions in older Australians. More realistic guidelines generated by undertaking this analysis in these major population databases will reduce the extent to which the elderly are placed at risk of adverse drug reactions, and better enable health care practitioners, in consultation with their elderly patients, to ensure the best possible health and quality of life outcomes for many older Australian patients who suffer from two or more chronic conditions.

Funding Amount $AUD 2,150,705.36

Funding Scheme NHMRC Strategic Awards

Notes ARC/NHMRC Ageing Well - Ageing Productively