Table 1 Characteristics of the participants and descriptive results [absolute numbers are previously reported in [13]]

Total population

N = 2609

N = 2425

N = 5034

Age MEAN (RANGE)

73.9 (65–101)

N = 2577

75.1 (65–100)

N = 2376

74.5 (65–101)

N =4953

Female PERCENTAGE (N/Ntotal)

51.6 (1334/2584)

49.6 (1182/2382)

50.7 (2516/4966)

Non-native German speakers PERCENTAGE (N/Ntotal)

3.8 (96/2517)

4.1 (93/2273)

3.9 (189/4790)

Population with regular medication intake PERCENTAGE (N/Ntotal)^a

90.4 (2288/2530)

90.8 (2107/2320)

90.6 (4395/4850)

 0

9.6 (242/2530)

9.2 (213/2320)

9.4 (455/4850)

 1–3

36.8 (931/2530)

36.8 (853/2320)

36.8 (1784/4850)

 4–7

38.8 (982/2530)

38.3 (890/2320)

38.6 (1872/4850)

  > 7

14.8 (375/2530)

15.7 (364/2320)

15.2 (739/4850)

Use of over-the-counter drugs PERCENTAGE (N/Ntotal) ^b

27.7 (631/2279)

26.9 (563/2095)

27.2 (1194/4371)

Having a medication list PERCENTAGE (N/Ntotal) referred to all patients indicating regular drug intake ^a

51.6 (1181/2288)

51.4 (1082/2107)

51.5 (2263/4395)

 More than one year ago

30.7 (346/1127)

33.0 (345/1046)

31.8 (691/2173)

 Less than one year ago

51.0 (575/1127)

51.0 (533/1046)

51.0 (1108/2173)

 Never

5.6 (63/1127)

4.4 (46/1046)

5.0 (109/2173)

 Never because medication has not changed

12.7 (143/1127)

11.7 (122/1046)

12.2 (265/2173)

Documenting self-medication, i.e. additional drugs purchased in the pharmacy or in the supermarket) on the medication list PERCENTAGE (N/Ntotal) ^c

22.5 (266/1181)

21.6 (234/1082)

22.1 (500/2263)

Showing the medication list during doctor’s appointments PERCENTAGE (N/Ntotal)^a

35.3 (417/1181)

36.7 (397/1082)

36.0 (814/2263)

Showing the medication list in the pharmacy PERCENTAGE (N/Ntotal) ^a

2.5 (29/1181)

2.7 (29/1082)

2.6 (58/2263)

Taking the medication lists along for cases of emergency PERCENTAGE (N/Ntotal) ^a

56.6 (669/1181)

58.0 (628/1082)

57.3 (1297/2263)

Using the medication list as reminder PERCENTAGE (N/Ntotal) ^a

52.0 (614/1181)

55.2 (597/1082)

53,5 (1211/2263)

Not using the medication list at all PERCENTAGE (N/Ntotal) ^a

16.9 (199/1181)

14.9 (161/1082)

15.9 (360/2263)

Having known the MeinPlan project before participating in the survey PERCENTAGE (N/Ntotal)^a

Not applicable

5.7 (139/2425)

Not applicable

Having used the website www.nimmsrichtig.de PERCENTAGE (N/Ntotal) ^a

Not applicable

1.3 (32/2425)

Not applicable

Having a used a medication list template provided by MeinPlan PERCENTAGE (N/Ntotal) ^a

Not applicable

1.0 (25/2425)

Not applicable

Having used the electronic medication list provided by MeinPlan PERCENTAGE (N/Ntotal) ^a

Not applicable

0.2 (5/2425)

Not applicable

BMQ subscale “General Overuse” MEAN (RANGE; SD)

13.0 (4–20; 3.06); N = 2428

12.9 (4–20; 3.16); N = 2260

13.0 (4–20; 3.11); N = 4688

BMQ subscale “General Usefulness” MEAN (RANGE; SD)

16.1 (4–20; 2.50); N = 2451

16.0 (4–20; 2.45); N = 2249

16.1 (4–20; 2.48); N = 4700

BMQ subscale “General harm” MEAN (RANGE; SD)

9.5 (4–20; 2.98); N = 2377

9.5 (4–20; 2.95); N = 2193

9.5 (4–20; 2.97); N = 4570