Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors of Family Medicine Residents About Polypharmacy

INTRODUCTION: In this study, we aimed to determine the level of knowledge and attitudes of family medicine residents in Türkiye regarding polypharmacy and to inform them about the methods and guidelines they can use to reduce polypharmacy.
METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study. A total of 308 physicians participated in our study. A questionnaire was administered to physicians via the internet. The questionnaire consisted of 25 questions, including sociodemographic information, medicine and residency-related details, evaluation of polypharmacy, deprescribing, and clinical evaluation questions about polypharmacy.
RESULTS: Among the participants, 76.3% were female, and 68.5% were receiving family medicine specialty training at a university hospital. A total of 21.8% of physicians had received training on polypharmacy, with a higher rate observed among those working at university hospitals. Additionally, 27.3% of physicians reported that they did not prescribe medications without examining the patients. Before prescribing a new medication, 62.9% of physicians considered that the patient's complaints might be caused by the side effects of another medication they were currently taking. The level of self-sufficiency in deprescribing practice was calculated as an average of 2.03±0.93 out of 5. Physicians who had previously received training on polypharmacy had a significantly higher level of self-sufficiency (2.34±0.88) compared to those who had not (1.95±0.93) (p=0.002).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Our study found that physicians generally did not have sufficient knowledge about polypharmacy. To reduce polypharmacy, medical school students, family medicine residents, and family physicians should be provided with appropriate training.