Publicação
The barriers to safe medication use in older people - a systematic review
| dc.contributor.author | Afonso, Eliana | |
| dc.contributor.author | Nascimento, Tânia | |
| dc.contributor.author | Cruz, Agostinho | |
| dc.contributor.author | Cruz, Agostinho | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-09-16T09:30:20Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-09-16T09:30:20Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025-10 | |
| dc.description.abstract | The population is ageing, and Portugal stands out as one of the oldest countries in the European Union, with a high ageing index [1]. Ageing leads to physiological changes that affect health and pharmacokinetics [2]. In Portugal, 36.9% of older adults are polymedicated [3]. The aim of this study was to identify the barriers that older adults face daily and that compromise their safety when taking medicines. Systematic review according to the PRISMA protocol, registered in PROSPERO, and analysis of the quality of the articles using the JBI Checklist for Systematic Reviews and Research Syntheses. 34 studies were included, of which 33 identified barriers to safe medication use. Internal barriers (78.8%) were identified, including physical limitations (mobility, vision, hearing), cognitive difficulties, social isolation, low health literacy, financial difficulties, and the complexity of pictograms in instructions (before and after training). External barriers (78.8%) were also identified, such as polypharmacy (44.12%) and the complexity of therapeutic regimens (23.53%), which involve communication failures between healthcare professionals and between them and patients, lack of specific training in geriatrics, structural limitations in pharmacies, and complex therapeutic regimens. Polypharmacy, treatment by multiple doctors, and the pharmaceutical form make it difficult to administer medications correctly, reducing adherence to therapy. It is concluded that polypharmacy and low health literacy are key internal barriers, while limited interprofessional collaboration and inadequate pharmacist training constitute external challenges, requiring systemic healthcare reform, including continuing education and improvements in communication between healthcare professionals. | eng |
| dc.identifier.citation | Afonso, E., Nascimento, T., & Cruz, A. (2025). The barriers to safe medication use in older people—A systematic review. 13th APLF Annual Conference, TherapeuTic advances in drug safety 16(S1), 34. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.1177/20420986251379201 | |
| dc.identifier.doi | 10.1177/20420986251379201 | |
| dc.identifier.eissn | 2042-0994 | |
| dc.identifier.issn | 2042-0986 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10400.22/32711 | |
| dc.language.iso | eng | |
| dc.peerreviewed | yes | |
| dc.publisher | SAGE Publications | |
| dc.relation.hasversion | https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/20420986251379201 | |
| dc.rights.uri | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ | |
| dc.subject | Barriers | |
| dc.subject | Community pharmacy | |
| dc.subject | Safe use of medicines | |
| dc.title | The barriers to safe medication use in older people - a systematic review | eng |
| dc.type | conference object | |
| dspace.entity.type | Publication | |
| oaire.citation.conferenceDate | 2025-10 | |
| oaire.citation.conferencePlace | Aveiro | |
| oaire.citation.issue | S1 | |
| oaire.citation.startPage | 34 | |
| oaire.citation.title | 13th APLF Annual Conference - TherapeuTic advances in drug safety | |
| oaire.citation.volume | 16 | |
| oaire.version | http://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85 | |
| person.familyName | Cruz | |
| person.givenName | Agostinho | |
| person.identifier.orcid | 0000-0002-1157-8196 | |
| relation.isAuthorOfPublication | d7ec3c5d-b3e0-4e34-8e24-4d1588876120 | |
| relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscovery | d7ec3c5d-b3e0-4e34-8e24-4d1588876120 |