Stakeholder perceptions of and attitudes towards problematic polypharmacy and prescribing cascades: a qualitative study.

Introduction Problematic polypharmacy is the prescribing of five or more medications potentially inappropriately. Unintentional prescribing cascades represent an under-researched aspect of problematic polypharmacy and occur when an adverse drug reaction (ADR) is misinterpreted as a new symptom resul...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Age & Ageing Vol. 53; no. 6; pp. 1 - 13
Autores principales: Jennings, Aisling A, Doherty, Ann Sinéad, Clyne, Barbara, Boland, Fiona, Moriarty, Frank, Fahey, Tom, Hally, Larry, Kennelly, Seán P, Wallace, Emma
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Oxford University Press / USA Jun2024
Materias:
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
fields @attributes:
  recordID: 1
pdfLink:
plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ssf&AN=178158892&site=ehost-live
header:
  @attributes:
    shortDbName: ssf
    uiTerm: 178158892
    longDbName: Social Sciences Full Text (H.W. Wilson)
    uiTag: AN
  controlInfo:
    bkinfo:
    jinfo:
      jid:
        00020729
        AGA
      jtl: Age & Ageing
      issn: 00020729
      maglogo: N
    pubinfo:
      dt: Jun2024
      vid: 53
      iid: 6
      pid: 622
      pub: Oxford University Press / USA
    artinfo:
      ui:
        178158892
        10.1093/ageing/afae116
      ppf: 1
      ppct: 12
      formats:
      tig:
        atl: Stakeholder perceptions of and attitudes towards problematic polypharmacy and prescribing cascades: a qualitative study.
      aug:
        au:
          Jennings, Aisling A
          Doherty, Ann Sinéad
          Clyne, Barbara
          Boland, Fiona
          Moriarty, Frank
          Fahey, Tom
          Hally, Larry
          Kennelly, Seán P
          Wallace, Emma
        affil:
          Department of General Practice, University College Cork , Cork , Ireland
          Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences , Dublin , Ireland
          HRB Centre for Primary Care Research , Department of General Practice, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences , Dublin , Ireland
          Data Science Centre , School of Population Health, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences , Dublin , Ireland
          School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences , Dublin , Ireland
          Older People's Council , Clare , Ireland
          Department of Medical Gerontology , School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin , Dublin , Ireland
          Department of Age-related Healthcare, Tallaght University Hospital , Dublin , Ireland
      su:
        Qualitative research
        Drug side effects
        Interviewing
        Confidence
        Patients' attitudes
        Research funding
        Polypharmacy
        Physicians' attitudes
        Medication reconciliation
        Descriptive statistics
        Thematic analysis
        Attitudes of medical personnel
        Physician practice patterns
        Research methodology
        Stakeholder analysis
        Drug prescribing
        Caregiver attitudes
        Pharmacists' attitudes
      sug:
        subj:
          Qualitative research
          Drug side effects
          Interviewing
          Confidence
          Patients' attitudes
          Offices of physicians
          Offices of Physicians (except Mental Health Specialists)
          Research funding
          Polypharmacy
          Physicians' attitudes
          Medication reconciliation
          Descriptive statistics
          Thematic analysis
          Attitudes of medical personnel
          Physician practice patterns
          Research methodology
          Stakeholder analysis
          Drug prescribing
          Caregiver attitudes
          Pharmacists' attitudes
      keyword:
        medication reconciliation
        multimorbidity
        older people
        polypharmacy
        prescribing cascades
        qualitative research
        medication reconciliation
        multimorbidity
        older people
        polypharmacy
        prescribing cascades
        qualitative research
      ab: Introduction Problematic polypharmacy is the prescribing of five or more medications potentially inappropriately. Unintentional prescribing cascades represent an under-researched aspect of problematic polypharmacy and occur when an adverse drug reaction (ADR) is misinterpreted as a new symptom resulting in the initiation of a new medication. The aim of this study was to elicit key stakeholders' perceptions of and attitudes towards problematic polypharmacy, with a focus on prescribing cascades. Methods qualitative one-to-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with predefined key stakeholder groups. Inductive thematic analysis was employed. Results Thirty-one stakeholders were interviewed: six patients, two carers, seven general practitioners, eight pharmacists, four hospital doctors, two professional organisation representatives and two policymakers. Three main themes were identified: (i) ADRs and prescribing cascades—a necessary evil. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) expressed concern that experiencing an ADR would negatively impact patients' confidence in their doctor. However, patients viewed ADRs pragmatically as an unpredictable risk. (ii) Balancing the risk/benefit tipping point. The complexity of prescribing decisions in the context of polypharmacy made balancing this tipping point challenging. Consequently, HCPs avoided medication changes. (iii) The minefield of medication reconciliation. Stakeholders, including patients and carers, viewed medication reconciliation as a perilous activity due to systemic communication deficits. Conclusion Stakeholders believed that at a certain depth of polypharmacy, the risk that a new symptom is being caused by an existing medication becomes incalculable. Therefore, in the absence of harm, medication changes were avoided. However, medication reconciliation post hospital discharge compelled prescribing decisions and was seen as a high-risk activity by stakeholders.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Article
      src: R
    language: English
    refInfo:
    copyright:
      @attributes:
        flag: N
    holdings:
      @attributes:
        islocal: N