Table 2 Factors associated with polypharmacy and self-medication

Sociodemographic variables

 Sex

  Male

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

  Female

0.91

0.79

0.67 ***

1.15 **

1.24 ***

1.24 ***

(0.72 – 1.14)

(0.59 – 1.05)

(0.51 – 0.88)

(1.01 – 1.30)

(1.08 – 1.43)

(1.08 – 1.43)

 Age group (years)

  70 – 74

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

  75 – 79

1.46 ***

1.23

1.04

0.96

0.97

0.99

(1.11 – 1.92)

(0.92 – 1.65)

(0.77 – 1.39)

(0.84 – 1.10)

(0.84 – 1.12)

(0.86 – 1.14)

  80 – 85

1.61 ***

1.39 **

1.17

0.77 ***

0.85 *

0.87

(1.22 – 2.13)

(1.02 – 1.87)

(0.90 – 1.52)

(0.65 – 0.92)

(0.70 – 1.02)

(0.73 – 1.05)

 Living situation

  Not living alone

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

  Living alone

1.31 **

1.13

0.94

0.96

1.02

1.07

(1.05 – 1.64)

(0.86 – 1.48)

(0.72 – 1.21)

(0.85 – 1.09)

(0.87 – 1.18)

(0.92 – 1.23)

 Socio-professional category

  Intermediate/Executive/Intellectual

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

  Employees

1.24

0.90

0.87

0.94

1.12

1.12

(0.93 – 1.65)

(0.64 – 1.28)

(0.62 – 1.21)

(0.82 – 1.09)

(0.94 – 1.33)

(0.95 – 1.32)

  Laborers/Farmers/Craftsmen/Traders

1.32 **

0.93

0.93

0.78 ***

1.00

0.98

(1.01 – 1.74)

(0.68 – 1.28)

(0.70 – 1.22)

(0.67 – 0.91)

(0.83 – 1.20)

(0.82 – 1.18)

 Education level

  None/Primary

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

  Secondary

0.60 ***

0.69 ***

0.74 **

1.36 ***

1.35 ***

1.32 ***

(0.47 – 0.77)

(0.53 – 0.91)

(0.57 – 0.95)

(1.15 – 1.60)

(1.13 – 1.62)

(1.11 – 1.58)

  Post-secondary

0.44 ***

0.51 ***

0.55 ***

1.63 ***

1.60 ***

1.53 ***

(0.32 – 0.60)

(0.35 – 0.75)

(0.38 – 0.79)

(1.39 – 1.92)

(1.29 – 1.97)

(1.25 – 1.88)

 Income (euros)

   < 1500

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

  1500 – 3000

0.73 **

0.88

0.89

1.09

1.03

1.01

(0.56 – 0.94)

(0.65 – 1.17)

(0.67 – 1.17)

(0.92 – 1.30)

(0.86 – 1.24)

(0.85 – 1.21)

   > 3000

0.53 ***

0.75

0.78

1.40 ***

1.22 *

1.22 *

(0.37 – 0.75)

(0.49 – 1.14)

(0.51 – 1.20)

(1.18 – 1.66)

(0.97 – 1.55)

(0.97 – 1.54)

Health-related variables

 Self-perceived health

  Very good/Good

Ref

-

Ref

Ref

-

Ref

  Very bad/Bad/Fair

3.18 ***

1.53 ***

0.92

1.00

(2.43 – 4.17)

(1.13 – 2.08)

(0.81 – 1.05)

(0.87 – 1.15)

 Chronic conditions

  No

Ref

-

Ref

Ref

-

Ref

  Yes

3.57 ***

2.24 ***

0.95

0.92

(2.57 – 4.95)

(1.62 – 3.12)

(0.84 – 1.08)

(0.80 – 1.05)

 Activity limitation

  Not limited

Ref

-

Ref

Ref

-

Ref

  Limited but not severely

2.51 ***

1.70 ***

1.21 ***

1.30 ***

(1.88 – 3.35)

(1.22 – 2.37)

(1.06 – 1.37)

(1.13 – 1.50)

  Severely limited

4.46 ***

2.06 ***

0.70 ***

0.91

(3.42 – 5.82)

(1.47 – 2.89)

(0.56 – 0.87)

(0.71 – 1.17)

 Frailty status

  Not frail

Ref

-

Ref

Ref

-

Ref

  Pre-frail

1.73 ***

1.03

1.03

1.02

(1.26 – 2.37)

(0.74 – 1.42)

(0.91 – 1.16)

(0.90 – 1.17)

  Frail

4.65 ***

1.74 ***

0.62 ***

0.68 **

(3.45 – 6.28)

(1.21 – 2.51)

(0.48 – 0.80)

(0.50 – 0.92)