PERCEIVED EFFECTS OF PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGICAL INTEVENTIONS AMONG ELDERLY IN ABAJI, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, ABUJA

The study examined the perceived effects of psychopharmacological interventions among elderly and the factors that influence perception. The aim of the study was to understand the effects of psychopharmacological intervention unique to the demographic in order to tailor appropriate medication plans. The research was guided by four research question, and two hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance. A descriptive survey research design was conducted. The population comprised 590 elderly patients in Abaji, LGA, Abuja. The sample size was determined using Taro Yarmane formula as 399 selected through simple random sampling. A self-constructed questionnaire was used to collect data and analyzed manually. Based on findings, it was revealed that there is moderate perception on the effects of psychopharmacology interventions among elderly in Abaji, LGA, Abuja. The conclusion was made based on the average of 49.0% which is between 40-49%. Based on level of education, based on level of education were; those who had no education got a percentage score of 40.2% which implies moderate perception, those who had primary level education got a percentage score of 47.5% which implies moderate perception, those who acquired secondary level education got a percentage 54.8% which implies that they had high perception, those with tertiary education got 65.0% which implies that they had high perception. Based on gender, Male have a percentage of 63.4 which implies that they agree highly with each item indicating high perception, Female have a percentage of 61.5 which implies that they agree high with each item on the list indicating high perception. The highest factors were cultural beliefs, stigma, polypharmacy and occurrence of side effects. The findings provide recommendations like individualized treatment plans that account for the unique needs and health conditions of elderly patients, regularly review and adjust plans based on patient feedback and health status and increased awareness especially to the uneducated about benefits and potential risks to help demystify the interventions.