Sociodemographic determinants and comorbidities associated with polypharmacy among the adult population in Korea: a nationwide claim analysis.

Abstract

Background: Polypharmacy poses a growing challenge to healthcare systems because of its association with adverse effects and the misuse of medication. This study aimed to identify the sociodemographic factors and comorbidities associated with polypharmacy.

Methods: We selected patients aged ≥30 years registered in the National Health Information Database in 2018 who were prescribed at least one medication for ≥180 days. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the associations between polypharmacy, sociodemographic characteristics, and comorbidities.

Results: Polypharmacy was significantly associated with increasing age, with the strongest association observed in adults aged ≥65 years. Compared with medical aid recipients, higher-income groups had a weaker association with polypharmacy. After adjusting for covariates, significant associations with polypharmacy were found for specific comorbidities, such as Parkinson disease (odds ratio [OR], 3.804; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.733-3.876; P<0.001) and chronic ischemic heart disease (OR, 3.199; 95% CI, 3.178-3.221; P<0.001).

Conclusion: These findings may help reduce the burden of polypharmacy by facilitating the development of targeted strategies tailored to patients.