Gebreyohannes, Eyob Alemayehu;
Salter, Sandra M;
Chalmers, Leanne;
Radford, Jan;
Lee, Kenneth;
D’Lima, Danielle;
(2023)
Patients’ Perspectives on Commencing Oral Anticoagulants in Atrial Fibrillation: An Exploratory Qualitative Descriptive Study.
Pharmacy
, 11
(5)
, Article 153. 10.3390/pharmacy11050153.
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Abstract
Background: Oral anticoagulants (OACs) are prescribed to patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) in order to lower stroke risk. However, patient refusal to commence OACs hinders effective anticoagulation. This study aimed to explore barriers and facilitators to patient agreement to commence OACs from the perspectives of patients with AF attending Australian general practices. // Methods: A qualitative descriptive study utilising semi-structured individual interviews was conducted from March to July 2022. Results: Ten patients (60% male, median age = 78.5 years) completed interviews. Patients’ passive roles in decision-making were identified as a facilitator. Other prominent facilitators included doctors explaining adequately and aligning their recommendations with patients’ overall health goals, including the prevention of stroke and associated disabilities, and a clear understanding of the pros and cons of taking OACs. Reportedly insufficient explanation from doctors and the inconvenience associated with taking warfarin were identified as potential barriers. // Conclusion: Addressing factors that influence patient agreement to commence OACs should be an essential aspect of quality improvement interventions. Subsequent studies should also delve into the perspectives of eligible patients with AF who choose not to commence OACs as well as the perspectives of both patients and doctors regarding the decision to continue OAC treatment.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Patients’ Perspectives on Commencing Oral Anticoagulants in Atrial Fibrillation: An Exploratory Qualitative Descriptive Study |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.3390/pharmacy11050153 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy11050153 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Copyright: © 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). |
| Keywords: | Atrial fibrillation; oral anticoagulants; treatment refusal; primary health care; behavioural change wheel; theoretical domains framework; qualitative research |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences > Clinical, Edu and Hlth Psychology |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10177558 |
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