Measuring Multimorbidity, Classifying Potentially Inappropriate Medications and Investigating Polypharmacy in Recipients of Medication Reviews and Pharmacy Dispensing Services Conducted by Ontario Community Pharmacists

Factors including aging and health related behaviours lead to multimorbidity, polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs). Medication reviews conducted by community pharmacists can improve medication management. Patient data were extracted from three community pharmacies in Ontario. Multimorbidity scores and number of PIMs were determined. Construct validity was assessed via linear regressions with age and sex. Consistency among multimorbidity measures was assessed via Pearson correlation coefficients. The mean multimorbidity scores determined by disease counts, Charlson Index, Chronic Disease Score, Medication Based Disease Burden Index, and Rx-Risk measures were 4.9 (SD 2.3), 4.4 (SD 2.0), 7.1 (SD 3.6), 0.1 (SD 0.2), and 0.4 (SD 1.7) respectively. Most analyses supported construct validity and consistency among measures. Patients were taking a mean of 1.9 (SD 1.5) and 2.0 (SD 1.4) PIMs determined by the 2019 American Geriatrics Society Beers criteria and STOPP criteria respectively. The analyses can lead to the improved management of multimorbidity.M.Sc