"No thank you": Why elderly patients declined to participate in a research study

Objectives: To compare the population consenting for a study of the effectiveness of a pharmacist‐run medication review clinic with the population not consenting for patients aged over 65 years old with respect to age, sex and number of repeat medicines. To explore the reasons why some patients declined to consent to the study.Methods: Letters were sent to 2,403 patients aged 65 and over and taking at least one repeat medicine from 4 general practices. If no reply was received to a second letter they were followed up by telephone. If they declined to consent they were asked for their reasons. Data for consenting and non‐consenting patients was collected on the stratification factors: age, sex and number of repeat medicines. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the association of each factor with consent rates.Results: Consenting patients were dissimilar to non‐consenting patients. Patients were less likely to consent if they were older, OR (95% CI) = 0.54 (0.46,0.64), or female, OR (95% CI) = 0.74 (0.63,0.88). Patients were more likely to consent if on 5 or more repeat medicines: OR (95% CI) = 1.3 (1.1,1.5). Ten broad categories of reasons why patients did not wish to participate were identified from the patient interviews.Conclusions: Patients were less likely to give their consent if they were elderly, female and on fewer repeat medicines. A number of administrative and behavioural factors were identified which reduced the chances of informed consent being given. These factors need to be addressed to maximise numbers of consenting patients in medication review studies.     

Complex pharmaceutical care intervention in pulmonary care: part B. Patient opinion and process survey.

OBJECTIVE: The IPMP study (Interventions on the principle of Pulmonary Medication Profiles) investigates and describes the results of complex pharmaceutical care interventions provided to selected pulmonary patients to improve their drug use. This paper describes the patients' opinions about the care provided and the results of the intervention. METHOD: Questionnaires investigating patients' opinions about provided pharmaceutical care were sent to 185 patients participating in the IPMP study after the intervention by their pharmacists had been finished. One year after the start of the intervention, patients were invited to a final consultation by their pharmacists to evaluate their drug use and their symptoms (n = 138). At this point in time pharmacists investigated the knowledge of the patients about the medication and their inhaler technique again. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The influence of the intervention on patients' symptoms. Change in drug-related problems, knowledge and skills concerning pulmonary medication after intervention. Satisfaction of the patients with the provided pharmaceutical care. RESULTS: In total 141 out of 185 patients completed the questionnaire. Patients were satisfied with the intervention by their pharmacists and considered it important. The majority (67%) reported that they had learned more about their medication or the inhaler technique, resulting in significantly improved coping behaviour with their pulmonary medication compared with patients who valued the intervention as a nice conversation with their pharmacist only. Patients with improved ability to cope reported statistically significantly fewer symptoms compared with patients reporting no change in behaviour (chi-square test, P < 0.05). In the final consultation of 138 patients, pharmacists observed increased knowledge and skills and decreased drug-related problems. The patients concerned were pleased with the change in treatment and were more satisfied with their current medication as compared with their earlier reports. CONCLUSION: Patients can be influenced effectively by the tailored intervention of pharmacists resulting in improved ability to cope with pulmonary medication and in fewer reported adverse effects and symptoms. Patients attributed these results to the intervention of the pharmacists.     

Prevalence and pattern of use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in hypertensive patients of a tertiary care center in India

OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence and pattern of use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in patients with essential hypertension. METHOD: 521 consecutive patients visiting the Hypertension Clinic at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India, over a 6-month period were interviewed. Information was gathered on the patients' demographics, type(s) of CAM used, sequence of seeking CAM and conventional medicine, sources of recommendation, reasons for opting for CAM and areas of satisfaction and dissatisfaction associated with the use of CAM. Patients were also asked if they had informed their doctor about CAM use. RESULTS: It was observed that 63.9% of patients overall used CAM. Ayurveda was the most commonly used CAM (56.7%), followed by herbal medicines (14.4%). The most commonly cited reason by patients for using CAM was fear of adverse drug reactions of conventional medicines (59.0%). However, more than half of the patients eventually became dissatisfied using CAM. Only 5.4% of CAM users had informed their medical doctors about the use of CAM. CONCLUSION: A significant proportion of patients receiving conventional treatment for hypertension also use CAM therapies. A better understanding of the pattern of CAM use amongst these patients will help dispel prevalent misconceptions concerning CAM and, at the same time, assist conventional practitioners to critically evaluate possible gaps or omissions in their own prescribing habits.     

"No thank you": Why elderly patients declined to participate in a research study

Objectives: To compare the population consenting for a study of the effectiveness of a pharmacistrun medication review clinic with the population not consenting for patients aged over 65 years old with respect to age, sex and number of repeat medicines. To explore the reasons why some patients declined to consent to the study.Methods: Letters were sent to 2,403 patients aged 65 and over and taking at least one repeat medicine from 4 general practices. If no reply was received to a second letter they were followed up by telephone. If they declined to consent they were asked for their reasons. Data for consenting and nonconsenting patients was collected on the stratification factors: age, sex and number of repeat medicines. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the association of each factor with consent rates.Results: Consenting patients were dissimilar to nonconsenting patients. Patients were less likely to consent if they were older, OR (95% CI) = 0.54 (0.46,0.64), or female, OR (95% CI) = 0.74 (0.63,0.88). Patients were more likely to consent if on 5 or more repeat medicines: OR (95% CI) = 1.3 (1.1,1.5). Ten broad categories of reasons why patients did not wish to participate were identified from the patient interviews.Conclusions: Patients were less likely to give their consent if they were elderly, female and on fewer repeat medicines. A number of administrative and behavioural factors were identified which reduced the chances of informed consent being given. These factors need to be addressed to maximise numbers of consenting patients in medication review studies.     

面向住院患者的药学服务调研与探讨

目的:探讨为住院患者提供药学服务的内容与重点。方法:设计“住院患者药疗访谈记录”,对住院患者进行访谈并作分析。结果与结论:住院患者对所用药物的知晓度为13.5%,需要药师提供用药咨询的患者占61%。切合实际为住院患者做好用药咨询与指导,是药师参与药物治疗的重要一环。     

Specialty mental health care improves patients' outcomes: findings from a nationwide program to monitor the quality of care for patients with substance use disorders

OBJECTIVE: To describe the implementation of a nationwide program to monitor the quality of treatment for substance use disorders in the Department of Veterans Affairs, and to examine how the provision of outpatient mental health care, and the duration and intensity of care, relate to patients' outcomes. METHOD: Clinicians completed a baseline Addiction Severity Index (ASI) on more than 34,000 patients with substance use disorders; more than 21,000 (63%) were reassessed with the ASI an average of 12 months later. Nationwide health service utilization databases were used to obtain information about patients' diagnoses and their use of services during an index episode of care. RESULTS: On average, patients who received specialty outpatient mental health care experienced better risk-adjusted outcomes than did patients who did not receive such care. Patients who had longer index episodes of mental health care improved more than did those who had shorter episodes. There was some evidence that the duration of care contributed more to better outcomes among patients with only substance use disorders, whereas the intensity of care was more important for patients with both substance use and psychiatric disorders. CONCLUSIONS: The provision of specialty outpatient mental health care, and longer episodes of specialty care, were associated with better risk-adjusted substance use, symptom and social functioning outcomes for patients with substance use disorders. More emphasis should be placed on ensuring that these patients enter specialty care and on keeping them in treatment.     

Perceptions of patients on Medicare Part D medication therapy management services

ObjectivesTo determine patients’ perceptions and expectations about medication therapy management (MTM) services pertaining to the core elements of an MTM service in the community pharmacy setting, and to develop educational strategies and outreach programs aimed at increasing patients’ knowledge of MTM services and the expanded role of pharmacists in the community pharmacy setting.DesignMulticenter, cross-sectional, anonymous study.SettingFour regional community chain pharmacies in Maryland and Delaware in January and February 2006.Patients81 patients who were 18 years of age or older and able to complete the survey.InterventionSurvey containing 14 questions administered within pharmacies, two of which had patient care centers that were providing clinical services.Main outcome measurePatients’ perceptions and expectations regarding MTM services.Results49 of 81 patients (60%) had never heard of MTM services. A total of 65 patients (80%) had never had or received a medication therapy review, 63 (78%) never had or received a personal medication record, and 70 (86%) never had or received a medication action plan. Some 56% of participants (n = 45) thought that pharmacist provision of medication therapy reviews, personal medication records, medication action plans, recommendations about medications, and referral to other health care providers was very important. At least 70% of participants (n = 57) thought that having one-on-one consultation sessions with pharmacists to improve communication and relationships with their pharmacists and to improve their medication use and overall health was very important. More than 50% of participants indicated that they would like to receive brochures or talk to their pharmacist to learn more about MTM services.ConclusionPatients have very limited knowledge of the core elements of an MTM service in the community pharmacy setting. Patients reported that pharmacist provision of MTM services was important, but they were concerned about privacy and pharmacists’ time. Patients are also supportive of and believe that MTM services can improve communication and relationship with their pharmacist and improve medication use. Patients appear to prefer receiving brochures and talking to pharmacists to learn more about MTM services. This survey identified a key opportunity for pharmacists to inform patients about MTM services.     

多重用药的肾移植受者用药现状与药学服务需求调查

目的: 调查多重用药的肾移植受者用药情况和药学服务需求,为对其开展药学服务提供参考。方法: 采用自行设计的问卷对在广州医科大学附属第二医院移植科门诊就诊或住院出院的成年肾移植受者进行调查,内容包括一般临床资料、用药情况、对肾移植术后药物治疗的认知、依从性和药学服务需求等。结果: 共收集155份质量合格的问卷,其中男96例(61.93%)、女59例(38.06%),年龄(43.60±11.26)岁,初中及以下文化程度占57.42%,平均肾移植术后时间为(5.90±2.52)月;除肾脏疾病外,平均合并患有2.05种慢性病;72.90%(113例)的被调查者使用10种及以上的药物,平均用药(11.06±2.32)种;被调查者对药物治疗的认知和依从性一般,普遍缺乏对免疫抑制药物和其他常用药物的认识及合理使用知识;25.16%(39例)和39.35%(61例)的被调查者依从性被评为差和一般,服药数量在10种以上和受教育程度在初中及以下是肾移植受者依从性差的高危因素;被调查者在用药指导和健康教育方面普遍需要药学服务;在开展药学服务的形式方面,被调查者更倾向于直接交流的方式。结论: 多重用药的肾移植受者对药物治疗的认知和依从性有待提高,普遍需要药学服务。为促进合理用药,临床药师极有必要参与这一特殊群体的药物治疗管理。     

Medication utilization and patient information in homes for the aged

Summary A random cross-sectional sample of 198 residents was taken from a convenience sample of 20 Flemish, community-based nursing homes for the aged. Twenty trained interviewers reviewed the medication list of these residents and interviewed the nurses responsible for their daily care to assess their activities of daily living (ADL) and cognitive status. Direct interview was possible of 128 residents (65 %); communication with the other 70 residents was impossible because of dementia (55 patients) or communication problems, such as aphasia and deafness (15 patients). An average of 4.5 different medicines was mentioned on the medication lists of the 198 residents. Drug use increases with age but stabilises after the age of 80 y. Medicines are ordered from local community pharmacies and are delivered to the ward rooms in original drug dispensing packs. The nursing staff is responsible for distribution inside the institution. Nursing personnel read the inserts of the medicines given to 98 % of the residents and keep the inserts of 77 % in the nursing office. Only 11 % of the residents maintained some autonomy in ordering, keeping and taking their medication, although 42 % were evaluated by the nurses as functionally and cognitively fit. Only 4 % of the 128 residents able to respond to an interview had a notion of the potential adverse effects of their medication; the two most important sources of information about medicines mentioned by those residents were the general practitioner and the nursing personnel; 4 % mentioned relatives and friends, or the pharmacist, as information sources.     

Association between diabetes patients'' knowledge about medications and their blood glucose control

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus is a common chronic disorder frequently resulting in hyperglycemia and numerous long-term complications. Research has shown that improved glycemic control reduces the rate and number of diabetes-related complications. Evidence suggests that patients who are more knowledgeable about diabetes self-care may be more likely to achieve better glycemic control. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between patients' knowledge about their diabetes medications and their blood glucose control. METHODS: Patients receiving oral pharmacologic treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus were asked to answer a short questionnaire assessing their knowledge about their medications. Patients were part of an ambulatory care practice in Baltimore, Maryland, that provides primary care medical services to an inner-city, predominantly African American population. A medication knowledge score (number of correct responses to 8 components) was tabulated and correlated to the most recent glycosylated hemoglobin (A1c) (drawn within the previous 90 days). Multivariate models were constructed, with A1c as the outcome and patients' medication knowledge as the independent variable. Potential confounders included in the models were age, sex, education level, number of diabetes medications, and insurance status. RESULTS: Fifty patients were screened for the study; 44 agreed to participate and met inclusion criteria. Patients' diabetes medication knowledge scores ranged between 1 and 7, with a median score of 5. Older patients (65 years and older) and male patients scored lower than their counterparts. There was a strong inverse association between knowledge score and A1c (r=-0.61; P<.001). Glycosylated hemoglobin was one-half unit lower with each one-unit increase in knowledge score among men; among women A1c was 1.6 units lower for each one-unit increase in knowledge score. CONCLUSION: Patients with greater understanding and knowledge of their diabetes medications demonstrated better glycemic control. This cross-sectional association of medication knowledge and A1c was more pronounced in women than in men.