Multimorbidity, medications, and their association with falls, physical activity, and cognitive functions in older adults: multicenter study in Sri Lanka
Abstract This study was aimed to examine the prevalence and associations between multimorbidity, polypharmacy, Falls Risk Increasing Drugs use (FRIDs), Anti Cholinergic Burden (ACB), and adverse health outcomes in older adults attending medical clinics. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 70...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-02-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91037-5 |
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| author | Warsha De Zoysa Sahan Achintha Mendis Nirmala Rathnayake Achala Liyanage Dhammika Palangasinghe Shehan Silva Priyamali Jayasekera Chamila Mettananda Sarath Lekamwasam |
| author_facet | Warsha De Zoysa Sahan Achintha Mendis Nirmala Rathnayake Achala Liyanage Dhammika Palangasinghe Shehan Silva Priyamali Jayasekera Chamila Mettananda Sarath Lekamwasam |
| author_sort | Warsha De Zoysa |
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| description | Abstract This study was aimed to examine the prevalence and associations between multimorbidity, polypharmacy, Falls Risk Increasing Drugs use (FRIDs), Anti Cholinergic Burden (ACB), and adverse health outcomes in older adults attending medical clinics. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 704 older adults attending medical clinics in four tertiary care hospitals. The mean (SD) age of study participants was 73 (5.5) years, and the majority were females (58.7%). Patients 305 (43.5%) reported at least one fall after age of 65 while 220 (31.3%) reported falls in the previous 12 months and 90 (12.8%) reported recurrent falls. The prevalence of multimorbidity was 77.4% while polypharmacy was seen in 51.2%. The use of at least one FRID was seen in 70.5% patients while higher ACB was seen in 5.4%. Multimorbidity, polypharmacy, use of FRIDs and ACB were not associated with negative health outcome (p > 0.05). Polypharmacy, however, was associated with high ACB (p < 0.001). This study highlights a high prevalence of multimorbidity and polypharmacy among older people in clinical settings. However, negative associations between drugs and multimorbidity with adverse health outcomes indicate that these relationships are complex, potentially influenced by other factors such as poor drug compliance, which can lead to falls. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5495ee2c015e4903ad8a6c36192f2c00 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
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| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-5495ee2c015e4903ad8a6c36192f2c002025-08-20T03:10:52ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-02-011511810.1038/s41598-025-91037-5Multimorbidity, medications, and their association with falls, physical activity, and cognitive functions in older adults: multicenter study in Sri LankaWarsha De Zoysa0Sahan Achintha Mendis1Nirmala Rathnayake2Achala Liyanage3Dhammika Palangasinghe4Shehan Silva5Priyamali Jayasekera6Chamila Mettananda7Sarath Lekamwasam8Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of RuhunaDepartment of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of RuhunaDepartment of Nursing, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of RuhunaDepartment of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine,, University of RuhunaDepartment of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of RuhunaDepartment of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of SriJayewardenepuraDepartment of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kotelawala DéfenseUniversityDepartment of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University ofKelaniyaDepartment of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of RuhunaAbstract This study was aimed to examine the prevalence and associations between multimorbidity, polypharmacy, Falls Risk Increasing Drugs use (FRIDs), Anti Cholinergic Burden (ACB), and adverse health outcomes in older adults attending medical clinics. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 704 older adults attending medical clinics in four tertiary care hospitals. The mean (SD) age of study participants was 73 (5.5) years, and the majority were females (58.7%). Patients 305 (43.5%) reported at least one fall after age of 65 while 220 (31.3%) reported falls in the previous 12 months and 90 (12.8%) reported recurrent falls. The prevalence of multimorbidity was 77.4% while polypharmacy was seen in 51.2%. The use of at least one FRID was seen in 70.5% patients while higher ACB was seen in 5.4%. Multimorbidity, polypharmacy, use of FRIDs and ACB were not associated with negative health outcome (p > 0.05). Polypharmacy, however, was associated with high ACB (p < 0.001). This study highlights a high prevalence of multimorbidity and polypharmacy among older people in clinical settings. However, negative associations between drugs and multimorbidity with adverse health outcomes indicate that these relationships are complex, potentially influenced by other factors such as poor drug compliance, which can lead to falls.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91037-5FallsMultimorbidityOlder adultsPolypharmacySri Lanka |
| spellingShingle | Warsha De Zoysa Sahan Achintha Mendis Nirmala Rathnayake Achala Liyanage Dhammika Palangasinghe Shehan Silva Priyamali Jayasekera Chamila Mettananda Sarath Lekamwasam Multimorbidity, medications, and their association with falls, physical activity, and cognitive functions in older adults: multicenter study in Sri Lanka Scientific Reports Falls Multimorbidity Older adults Polypharmacy Sri Lanka |
| title | Multimorbidity, medications, and their association with falls, physical activity, and cognitive functions in older adults: multicenter study in Sri Lanka |
| title_full | Multimorbidity, medications, and their association with falls, physical activity, and cognitive functions in older adults: multicenter study in Sri Lanka |
| title_fullStr | Multimorbidity, medications, and their association with falls, physical activity, and cognitive functions in older adults: multicenter study in Sri Lanka |
| title_full_unstemmed | Multimorbidity, medications, and their association with falls, physical activity, and cognitive functions in older adults: multicenter study in Sri Lanka |
| title_short | Multimorbidity, medications, and their association with falls, physical activity, and cognitive functions in older adults: multicenter study in Sri Lanka |
| title_sort | multimorbidity medications and their association with falls physical activity and cognitive functions in older adults multicenter study in sri lanka |
| topic | Falls Multimorbidity Older adults Polypharmacy Sri Lanka |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91037-5 |
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