Table 1 Baseline characteristics (N = 523,811)

Age, years

 65–69

85,169

(40.16)

101,098

(32.43)

186,267

(35.56)

 70–74

62,964

(29.69)

85,631

(27.47)

148,595

(28.37)

 75–79

37,059

(17.47)

62,664

(20.10)

99,723

(19.04)

 80–84

17,559

(8.28)

38,087

(12.22)

55,646

(10.62)

 ≥85

9,331

(4.40)

24,249

(7.78)

33,580

(6.41)

No. of medications prescribed

 0–5

83,104

(39.18)

99,179

(31.82)

182,283

(34.80)

 6–9

106,319

(50.13)

169,554

(54.39)

275,873

(52.67)

 ≥10

22,659

(10.68)

42,996

(13.79)

65,655

(12.53)

No. of medications from Beers Criteria 2012

 0

45,721

(21.56)

54,026

(17.33)

99,747

(19.04)

 1–4

155,456

(73.30)

237,099

(76.06)

392,555

(74.94)

 ≥5

10,905

(5.14)

20,604

(6.61)

31,509

(6.02)

Visited specialty^a

Physician^b

99,893

(54.14)

138,452

(51.48)

238,345

(52.56)

Surgeon^c

56,601

(30.68)

72,949

(27.12)

129,550

(28.57)

Others^d

28,014

(15.18)

57,548

(21.40)

85,562

(18.87)

Types of healthcare facilities^a

Long-term care

2,928

(1.58)

6,518

(2.41)

9,446

(2.08)

Primary care

129,480

(69.98)

200,631

(74.33)

330,111

(72.56)

Secondary care

13,695

(7.40)

20,414

(7.56)

34,109

(7.50)

Tertiary care

38,923

(21.04)

42,342

(15.69)

81,265

(17.86)

Residential area^a

 Urban

94,571

(44.60)

131,528

(42.21)

226,099

(43.17)

 Rural

117,488

(55.40)

180,104

(57.79)

297,628

(56.83)

Type of insurance

 National Health Insurance

197,538

(93.14)

276,179

(88.60)

473,717

(90.44)

 Medical Aid, Veteran’s Relief

14,544

(6.86)

35,550

(11.40)

50,094

(9.56)

No. of OPD^e visits within one year

 0 or 1

191,787

(90.43)

285,795

(91.68)

477,582

(91.17)

 2–4

12,254

(5.78)

14,580

(4.68)

26,834

(5.12)

 ≥5

8,041

(3.79)

11,354

(3.64)

19,395

(3.70)

Comorbidities

 Hypertension

126,438

(59.62)

209,452

(67.19)

335,890

(64.12)

 Diabetes mellitus

71,857

(33.88)

104,600

(33.55)

176,457

(33.69)

 Hyperlipidemia

71,736

(33.82)

123,920

(39.75)

195,656

(37.35)

 Cardiovascular disease (MI^f or angina)

31,599

(14.90)

42,366

(13.59)

73,965

(14.12)

 Heart failure

22,570

(10.64)

43,549

(13.97)

66,119

(12.62)

 Dementia and cognitive impairment

17,334

(8.17)

36,658

(11.76)

53,992

(10.31)

 Cerebrovascular disease (TIA^g)

45,832

(21.61)

69,881

(22.42)

115,713

(22.09)

 Peripheral artery disease (PADⁱ)

38,829

(18.31)

65,826

(21.12)

104,655

(19.98)

 Chronic kidney disease

6,664

(3.14)

5,847

(1.88)

12,511

(2.39)

 Liver cirrhosis

51,766

(24.41)

67,601

(21.69)

119,367

(22.79)

 Chronic lung disease (asthma, COPD^h)

75,575

(35.63)

105,636

(33.89)

181,211

(34.59)

 Cancer

39,935

(18.83)

38,203

(12.26)

78,138

(14.92)

 Depression

19,635

(9.26)

42,375

(13.59)

62,010

(11.84)

Charlson Comorbidity Index

 0–1

83,991

(39.60)

122,379

(39.26)

206,370

(39.40)

 2–4

81,114

(38.25)

129,131

(41.42)

210,245

(40.14)

 ≥5

46,977

(22.15)

60,219

(19.32)

107,196

(20.46)