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Table 2 Characteristics of study participants by polypharmacy (univariate analyses)

From: Polypharmacy among HIV positive older adults on anti-retroviral therapy attending an urban clinic in Uganda

Characteristic

Polypharmacy n (%)

No Polypharmacy n (%)

Unadjusted prevalence ratio (95% CI)

Sex

 Male

17 (10)

155 (90)

1

 Female

46 (19)

193 (81)

1.9 (1.2–3.3)

Age (years)

 50–54

22 (13)

148 (87)

1

 55–59

12 (9)

116 (91)

0.7 (0.4–1.4)

 60–64

11 (18)

49 (82)

1.4 (0.7–2.7)

  ≥ 65

18 (34)

35 (66)

2.6 (1.5–4.5)

Residence

 Own

50 (18)

223 (82)

1

 Rented

5 (6)

73 (94)

0.4 (0.1–0.8)

 Other

8 (13)

52 (87)

0.7 (0.4–1.5)

Approximate distance from clinic (km)

 0–4.9

5 (12%)

36 (88%)

1

 5–9.9

13 (22%)

46 (78%)

1.8 (0.7–4.7)

 10–14.9

7 (9%)

72 (91%)

0.7 (0.3–2.2)

  ≥ 15

38 (16%)

194 (84%)

1.3 (0.6–3.2)

Marital status

 Married

20 (13%)

129 (87%)

1

 Widowed

29 (19%)

123 (81%)

1.5 (0.9–2.5)

 Divorced

14 (14%)

87 (86%)

1.1 (0.6–2.1)

 Single

0 (0%)

8 (100%)

Not applicable

Living arrangements

 Lives alone

8 (15)

46 (85)

1

 Lives with others

55 (15)

302 (85)

1.0 (0.5–1.9)

Education level

 Illiterate

5 (16)

26 (84)

1

 Primary

30 (16)

163 (84)

1.0 (0.4–2.3)

 Secondary

16 (14)

99 (86)

0.9 (0.3–2.2)

 Tertiary

12 (17)

60 (83)

1.0 (0.4–2.7)

Source of income

 Active

48 (15)

280 (85)

1

 Passive

15 (18)

68 (82)

0.8 (0.5–1.4)

Hospitalisations in previous year

 None

51 (13)

329 (87)

1

 One or more

12 (39)

19 (61)

2.9 (1.7–4.8)

Prescribing cadre

 Nurse

4 (9)

40 (91)

1

 Physician assistant

25 (12)

177 (88)

1.4 (0.5–3.7)

 General medical officer

28 (19)

123 (81)

2.0 (0.8–5.5)

 Internist

6 (67)

3 (33)

7.3 (2.6–20.8)

Duration since Highly Active Anti – Retroviral Therapy commenced

  < 5 years

18 (12%)

127 (88%)

1

  ≥ 5 years

36 (15%)

201 (85%)

1.2 (0.7–2.1)

Charlson’s weighted comorbidity score

 0

29 (10%)

253 (90%)

1

 1

23 (22%)

82 (78%)

2.1 (1.3–3.5)

  ≥ 2

11 (46%)

13 (54%)

4.5 (2.6–7.8)

Frailty index score

 0–2

1 (2)

62 (98)

1

 3–4

8 (6)

132 (94)

3.6 (0.5–28.2)

 5–6

22 (19)

95 (81)

11.8 (1.6–85.8)

  ≥ 7

32 (35)

59 (65)

22.2 (3.1–157.9)

  1. CI Confidence Interval, Km Kilometres