Medicines management intervention in people with dementia (V2)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A feasibility study of an intervention to improve medicines management for people with dementia in primary care in Northern Ireland
IRAS ID
248050
Contact name
Carmel M. Hughes
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Queen's University Belfast
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 3 months, 25 days
Research summary
People with dementia (PWD) have unique medication needs compared with the general older population, due to their impaired cognition and communication skills. It is widely acknowledged that carers can play a key role in helping people with dementia to manage their medications. In addition, the challenges faced by this patient population may influence how doctors prescribe for them. There has been limited research on prescribing, review, administration and adherence to medicines (all parts of medicines management) in PWD, particularly for those living at home and managed within primary care. The aim of this study is to test the feasibility of a plan (intervention) to improve medicines management for community-dwelling people with dementia in Northern Ireland.
This current study is the third phase of a three-phase study. The first phase involved conducting an observational study to identify the prevalence of potentially inappropriate prescribing among PWD in primary care in Northern Ireland. In the second phase, qualitative methodology was used, which involved conducting semi-structured interviews with PWD and their carers, GPs and community pharmacists. Participants were asked to describe their experiences of medicines management, their perceptions of barriers and facilitators to achieving appropriate medicines management, and their views on potential intervention components. Using all the information collected in phases 1 and 2, a plan (intervention) has been developed for how to improve medicines management for community-dwelling PWD. In this final phase, the current study, we will test out this plan in two community pharmacies in Northern Ireland to find out if it works in practice.
REC name
HSC REC A
REC reference
18/NI/0100
Date of REC Opinion
8 Jun 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion