Prescribed and over-the-counter medicine use by the ambulatory elderly.

This article examines use of prescription and over-the-counter drugs among a linear probability sample of ambulatory elderly. As previous research has shown, health status indicators are better predictors of use of prescription than nonprescription medications. The analysis suggests that self-medication with over-the-counter drugs may be a first step in illness behavior, rather than a substitute for physician consultation. These preparations are used most frequently for symptoms that the elderly person interprets as nonthreatening; persons concerned about their health are more likely to consult a physician.