DO SURGERY PATIENTS KNOW THEIR MEDICINES?

Aim: A descriptive research was conducted for determination of knowledge and practices of medication use of elderly patients hospitalized in surgical clinics. The sample consisted of 128 patients over 60 years old, hospitalized at Hacettepe University Adult Hospital Neurosurgery, General Surgery, Thoraco/Cardio/Vascular Surgery and Urology departments. Methods: For data collection, a questionnaire prepared by the researcher based on the literature was used. The data was collected by the researcher at two stages with face-to-face and telephone interviews. For evaluation of the data, percentages, McNemar and Cohran Q tests were used. Results: The frequency of visits to the physicans/medical facilities were 1.8±1.7 times per year. Mean prescription rate per year from those visits was 16.4±1.8. Rate of use of over the counter medicines was 22.7%, use of herbal medicines was 25% and irregular use of medicines was 16.4%. Within the participiants that had not been using medicines regularly (16.4%); the most common reason for not using medicines regularly was “problems experienced because of medicines” (38.7%). Conclusion: According to the results of this study; the characteristics which could be the reasons of unrational drug use were seen about quarter of elder participiants.