Predictors of older patients' willingness to have medications deprescribed: A cross‐sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundDeprescribing is a complex process requiring a patient‐centred approach. One frequently expressed deprescribing barrier is patients' attitudes and beliefs towards deprescribing. This study aimed to identify the predictors of patients' willingness to have medications deprescribed.MethodsA cross‐sectional study was conducted with community‐dwelling patients aged ≥65 who are taking at least one regular medication. Data collection included patients' demographic and clinical characteristics and the Portuguese revised Patients' Attitudes Towards Deprescribing (rPATD) questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to present the patients' characteristics. Multiple binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the predictors of the patients' willingness to have medications deprescribed.ResultsOne hundred ninety‐two participants (median age 72 years; 65.6% female) were included. Most (83.33%) were willing to have medications deprescribed, and the predictors were age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.136; 95% CI 1.026, 1.258), female sex (aOR = 3.036; 95% CI 1.059, 8.708) and the rPATD concerns about stopping factor (aOR = 0.391; 95% CI 0.203, 0.754).ConclusionsMost patients were willing to have their medications deprescribed if it is recommended by their doctors. Older age and female sex increased the odds of willingness to deprescribe; higher concerns about stopping medications decreased the odds. These findings suggest that addressing patients' concerns about stopping their medicines may contribute to deprescribing success.

Are Saudi Arabian Patients Willing to Be Deprescribed Their Medications? An Exploratory Study

“…Our findings indicate that the majority (90%) of patients were willing to be deprescribed. This is in line with previous studies that used the rPATD questionnaire, which reported that the majority of older patients 15 and patients with type 2 diabetes 16 were willing to deprescribe their medication. However, only 43% were satisfied with their prescribed medications, and previous studies have reported that willingness to be deprescribed was positively associated with satisfaction with current medications.…”

“…A total of 242 patients were included in the analysis, consistent with sample sizes in other studies on the topic. 15 , 16 …”

Attitudes towards deprescribing in geriatric psychiatry: A survey among older psychiatric outpatients

“…Such concerns should thus be carefully considered when addressing deprescribing in this patient population. In fact, more concerns have been shown to decrease patients' willingness to try deprescribing 27 . Thus, developing a thorough understanding of patients' potential treatment scepticism, specific concerns and past experiences can potentially help health care professionals better support them throughout the deprescribing process, ultimately promoting a more patient‐centred approach that takes into account the needs and preferences of older patients with psychiatric disorders.…”

Advancing deprescribing: Learnings from the first international conference on deprescribing

“…Lundby et al 18 report their results from the revised Patients' Attitudes Toward Deprescribing (rPATD) questionnaire administered in a geriatric psychiatry setting and describe willingness to deprescribing but also previous bad deprescribing experiences among patients. Pereira et al 19 present their results from the rPATD questionnaire to identify predictors of older community-dwelling patients' willingness to deprescribing, finding that older age and female sex increase the odds of willingness to deprescribing. Similarly, McCarthy et al 20 explore the relationship between patient attitudes and medication changes in older people using the rPATD and report that willingness to deprescribing is associated with higher rates of both stopping and starting medications.…”