Perspective of older people on which medicines they need to report to healthcare professionals as part of a medicines history: a qualitative descriptive study.

Abstract

Background: The medicines that older people consider relevant as part of their medicine regime may be reflected in their reporting of medicines to healthcare professionals during a medicine history.

Aim: This study aimed to understand the perspectives of people, aged 65 or older, on which medicine(s) they reported as part of their medicine regimen.

Method: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted in Australia using semi-structured interviews to investigate the perspectives of which medicines were reported in a medicines history by people aged 65 years or older, taking at least one medicine. Participants were recruited until data saturation was reached. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and thematically analysed using the Framework Method.

Results: Six main themes emerged from sixteen participants: reporting medicines that solved a medical condition, medicines recommended by healthcare professionals, regular medicines, route of administration, combination products, and multiple tablets, doses, or part doses. Participants' beliefs and experiences impacted whether they included a medicine in their regimen. Participants inconsistently reported infrequent medicines, varying formulations, and multiple doses. Non-oral and over-the-counter medicines were commonly included if a healthcare professional recommended them. In contrast, supplements were seldom included.

Conclusion: This study highlights the variation between participants' perspectives in reporting medicines, suggesting that older people's self-reporting of medicines is generally inconsistent. Our findings encourage clinicians to specifically enquire about medicines for acute health conditions, medicines commonly not prescribed by healthcare professionals, irregular medicines, and non-oral medicines to improve reporting by older people, to obtain the Best Possible Medication History.