Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27266865›Full record

ArticleThe British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners2016

Beliefs and attitudes of older adults and carers about deprescribing of medications: a qualitative focus group study.

Emily Reeve, Lee-Fay Low, Sarah N Hilmer

Registry-linked trialAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03283735 (Deprescribing), which is not on this map. Cited by 90 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
90citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT03283735 naunknown statusnot on this mapstarted 2019, after this paper: background citation

Deprescribing: a Portrait and Out-comes of the Reduction of Polypharmacy in Portugal

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of Beira InteriorRan2019 to 2020Enrolled380ConditionsPolypharmacy, DeprescriptionsArmsElderly Enablement
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

90 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Communication Processes Related to Decision-Making in Medication Management Between Healthcare Providers, Older People and Their Carers: A Systematic Review.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2025
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  16. Deprescribing for patients nearing end of life: views, barriers and facilitators of palliative care patients, carers and nurses.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
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  20. Assessing Older Adults' Readiness for Adopting Fall Prevention Recommendations Using the Transtheoretical Stages of Change.Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society · 2025
    Article

30 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Emily Reeve
Lee-Fay Low
Sarah N Hilmer

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDeprescribing describes the complex process that is required for the safe and effective cessation of medications that are likely to cause more harm than benefit. Knowledgeof older adults' and carers' attitudes towards deprescribing will enhance shared decision making in medication optimisation.

aimTo explore the views, beliefs, and attitudes of older adults and carers on deprescribing. DESIGN AND

settingQualitative focus group study in New South Wales, Australia.

methodFour focus groups with 14 older adults and 14 carers were conducted. Results were analysed using a previously developed framework (directed content analysis) with additional conventional content analysis.

resultsThe willingness of both older adults and carers to have one or more medications deprescribed was influenced by the following main themes: their perception of the appropriateness of that medication; fear of outcomes of withdrawal; dislike of taking medications; and the availability of a process for withdrawal (including a discussion with a healthcare professional and knowing that the medication could be restarted if necessary). A patient's regular GP was identified as a strong influence both for and against medication withdrawal. The identified themes supported the previously developed framework. An additional theme unique to the carers was the complexity involved in making decisions about medications for their care recipients.

conclusionThis study highlights that discussions between the healthcare professional and the olderadult or carer about withdrawing medications should address reasons for deprescribing. GPs should be aware of their major influence on patients and regularly discuss appropriateness of current medication use with older adults and their carers.

Indexed as

Decision MakingDeprescriptionsGeneral PracticeAgedFocus GroupsHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeHumansInappropriate PrescribingNew South WalesPhysician-Patient RelationsPolypharmacyQualitative Researchagedcaregiversdecision makinggeneral practiceinappropriate prescribingmedication therapy managementprimary health care

Identifiers

PMID27266865
PMCPMC4979944

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.