The association between loneliness and medication use in older adults. (14th September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Vyas, Manav V; Watt, Jennifer A; Yu, Amy Y X; Straus, Sharon E; Kapral, Moira K
• Is Part Of: Age and ageing. Volume 50:Number 2(2021)
• Page Start: 587
• Page End: 591
• Publication Date: 2020-09-14
• Subjects: loneliness -- opioids -- benzodiazepines -- polypharmacy -- medication use -- older adults; Aging -- Periodicals; Geriatrics -- Periodicals; 618.97
• DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afaa177
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0002-0729

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Loneliness is common in older adults, and it is associated with unhealthy behaviours, including substance use. We evaluated the association between loneliness and self-reported use of opioids and benzodiazepines in older adults. Methods: We used data from the Canadian Community Health Survey's 'Healthy Aging' sub-survey and included adults 65 years or older who administered their own medications. We classified individuals as lonely if they scored 6 or more on the three -item University of California, Los Angeles's Loneliness Scale. We used multinomial logistic regression models, adjusting for demographics and self-reported comorbidities, to describe the association between loneliness and daily or occasional use of opioids, benzodiazepines and non-opioid analgesics. We also explored the association between loneliness and polypharmacy. Results: Our cohort included 15, 302 older adults, of whom 2, 096 (13.7%) were classified as lonely. Daily use of opioids (4.1%) and benzodiazepines (1.7%) were less common than daily use of non-opioid analgesics (33.9%). Lonely older adults had higher daily use of opioids (odds ratio [OR] 1.61, 1.31-1.98) and benzodiazepines (OR 1.66, 1.21-2.28), but not non-opioid analgesics (OR 1.05, 0.92-1.19). Loneliness was not associated with occasional use of opioids, benzodiazepines or non-opioid analgesics in older adults, but was associated with polypharmacy (OR 1.27, 1.06-1.52). Conclusions: Loneliness in older adults is associated with increased daily use of opioids and benzodiazepines. Further research should evaluate patient- and physician-level factors that mediate this association, and develop strategies to mitigate loneliness and its attendant adverse outcomes.