Attitudes toward deprescribing in a middle-aged health disparities population

Ashley I. Martinez, Joshua Spencer, Mairead Moloney, Christal Badour, Emily Reeve, Daniela C. Moga

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Patients' attitudes toward deprescribing are crucial to understand before developing interventions, but no such data exists in the medically underserved, health disparities population of rural Appalachian United States. Objective(s): Assess Appalachian women's openness to deprescribing medications and determine if polypharmacy influenced their attitudes toward deprescribing. Methods: Before and after a cognitive behavioral therapy intervention, middle-aged Appalachian women self-reported medication use and completed the revised Patients’ Attitudes Toward Deprescribing Questionnaire (rPATD). Responses were described, stratified by presence of polypharmacy. Results: 30 women completed the rPATD pre- and post-intervention (mean [SD] age 55.8 [6.6] years; 96.7% white). Those with polypharmacy (n = 16) had higher burden and involvement scores (median 2.8 vs 2.0, p = 0.01; 4.9 vs 4.6, p = 0.06), and lower appropriateness scores (3.4 vs 3.9, p = 0.04). Burden, concerns about stopping, and involvement factor scores were similar before and after the intervention (p = 0.08, 0.86, and 0.41 respectively). ≥90% of participants were satisfied with their current medications yet would be willing to stop one or more. Conclusions: Middle-aged women in rural Appalachian United States are open to deprescribing; polypharmacy is associated with lower belief in the appropriateness of medications. Larger studies are needed to inform future deprescribing interventions for this and other similarly disadvantaged populations.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1502-1507
Number of pages6
JournalResearch in Social and Administrative Pharmacy
Volume16
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2020

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020

Keywords

  • Deprescribing
  • Health disparities
  • Medication appropriateness

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pharmacy
  • Pharmaceutical Science

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