A Study on the Perceptions of Korean Older Adult Patients and Caregivers about Polypharmacy and Deprescribing

Polypharmacy is continuously increasing among older adults. The resultant potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) can be harmful to patient health. Deprescribing refers to stopping or reducing PIMs. In this study, the current status of polypharmacy and willingness of older adults to deprescribe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of environmental research and public health 2022-09, Vol.19 (18), p.11446
Main Authors: Lee, Han-Gyul, Kwon, Seungwon, Jang, Bo-Hyoung, Jeon, Jin Pyeong, Lee, Ye-Seul, Jung, Woo-Sang, Moon, Sang-Kwan, Cho, Ki-Ho
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adults
Aged
Attitudes
Caregivers
Decision making
Deprescriptions
Diabetes
Drug dosages
Drug withdrawal
Humans
Information processing
Older people
Patients
Polypharmacy
Potentially Inappropriate Medication List
Questionnaires
Republic of Korea
Surveys
Surveys and Questionnaires
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Summary:Polypharmacy is continuously increasing among older adults. The resultant potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) can be harmful to patient health. Deprescribing refers to stopping or reducing PIMs. In this study, the current status of polypharmacy and willingness of older adults to deprescribe were investigated among patients and caregivers who are not associated with one another. The survey used the Korean translated version of the revised Patients' Attitude Towards Deprescribing (rPATD) Scale. Data were collected through an online survey of 500 participants (250 patients and caregivers each) in this study. The following results were found for patients and caregivers, respectively: 74.8% and 63.6% felt their number of medications was high, 64.4% and 55.6% desired to reduce their medications, 70.4% and 60.8% were concerned about medication discontinuation, 63.2% and 61.2% had a good understanding of their medications, 77.6% and 76.4% were willing to be well informed, and 79.6% and 72% wanted to reduce the number of medications if medically feasible. Patients and caregivers commonly agreed to the burden of the number of medications they were taking, and were willing to reduce the number of medications if the doctor said it was possible. Doctors should consider this information during the deprescribing process, and promote deprescription while involving patients and caregivers in the decision-making process.
ISSN:1660-4601
1661-7827
1660-4601
DOI:10.3390/ijerph191811446