Barriers and facilitators to deprescribing Falls Risk Increasing Drugs
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A study of healthcare professionals’ and patients’ attitudes on barriers and facilitators to deprescribing falls risk increasing medicines in older people across hospital and community services, who have fallen
IRAS ID
318284
Contact name
Carole Parsons
Contact email
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 1 days
Research summary
In Northern Ireland, society is getting older, and by 2039, it is predicted the population aged 65 years and over will have increased by seventy-four percent compared to 2014 (Bengoa, 2016). This presents a growing challenge in relation to the demands and pressures on health and social care services. For patients taking four or more medicines, risk of falling, fear of falling and cognitive impairment increase significantly. This study, in two parts, will explore both healthcare professionals’ and patients’ attitudes to deprescribing Falls Risk Increasing Drugs (FRIDs).
In Part One of this study, we will explore perceptions of healthcare staff working in the hospital and community-based setting, in relation to barriers and facilitators to deprescribing FRIDs in patients who have fallen. We will interview pharmacists and medical doctors working across hospital and community services in Belfast Health & Social Care Trust (BHSCT) to glean their opinions. In Part Two we will explore the attitudes of patients’ who have fallen, and either admitted to a BHSCT hospital or managed in the community, to deprescribing FRIDs. We will ask participants over 65 years old with a history of falls, to complete a questionnaire which will be administered by a pharmacist.
This two part study will potentially lead to improvements in how we optimise management of medicines in older people following a fall, and inform new pathways, policies and current practice.REC name
HSC REC A
REC reference
23/NI/0119
Date of REC Opinion
4 Oct 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion