UCL Discovery
UCL home » Library Services » Electronic resources » UCL Discovery

Stakeholders' views on the use of psychotropic medication in older people: a systematic review

Bednarczyk, Eliza; Cook, Sarah; Brauer, Ruth; Garfield, Sara; (2022) Stakeholders' views on the use of psychotropic medication in older people: a systematic review. Age Ageing , 51 (3) 10.1093/ageing/afac060. Green open access

[thumbnail of afac060.pdf]
Preview
Text
afac060.pdf - Published Version

Download (737kB) | Preview

Abstract

BACKGROUND: psychotropic medication use has been shown to increase with age and has been associated with increased risk of falls, strokes and mortality. Various guidelines, regulations and tools have been developed to reduce inappropriate prescribing, but this remains high. In order to understand the reasons for this, we aimed to systematically review healthcare professionals', patients' and family caregivers' attitudes towards the use of psychotropic medication in older people. METHODS: a systematic literature search was carried out from inception to September 2020 using PUBMED, EMBASE, PsycINFO and CINAHL and hand-searching of reference lists. Included studies investigated stakeholder views on psychotropic in adults over the age of 65. Findings were thematically synthesised. RESULTS: overall, there was an acceptance of long-term psychotropic medication for older people both living in the community and in residential care. While healthcare professionals were aware of guidelines for the use of benzodiazepines and psychotropic medicines, they identified barriers to following them on individual, team and organisational levels. Alternative non-pharmacological approaches were not always available or accepted by patients. CONCLUSION: psychotropic medicine use in older adults remains a complex issue, which needs to be addressed on a broad level. Attitudes of older people and healthcare professionals encourage long-term use. Meanwhile, various internal and external factors act as barriers to the use of non-drug alternatives in this population. In order to reduce overprescribing of psychotropics, there is a need to increase the acceptability and accessibility of alternative interventions in both care homes and the community.

Type: Article
Title: Stakeholders' views on the use of psychotropic medication in older people: a systematic review
Location: England
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afac060
Language: English
Keywords: professional and patient/lay perspectives, psychotropic medication, qualitative
UCL classification: UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > UCL School of Pharmacy > Practice and Policy
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > UCL School of Pharmacy
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10146709
Downloads since deposit
35Downloads
Download activity - last month
Download activity - last 12 months
Downloads by country - last 12 months

Archive Staff Only

View Item View Item