Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39517357›Full record

ArticleHealthcare (Basel, Switzerland)2024

Medication Management in Portuguese Long-Term Care Facilities: A Preliminary Cross-Sectional Study.

Ana Rita Rodrigues, Filipa Mascarenhas-Melo, Victoria Bell

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
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.

Ana Rita RodriguesLaboratory of Social Pharmacy and Public Health, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal.ORCID 0000-0002-6755-2980
Filipa Mascarenhas-MeloREQUIMTE/LAQV, Group of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal.ORCID 0000-0003-0786-6280
Victoria BellLaboratory of Social Pharmacy and Public Health, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal.ORCID 0000-0003-2728-9134

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND/

objectivesPopulation ageing has been a pressing global issue for decades. Older adults, especially those residing in long-term care facilities (LTCFs), often experience frailty and polypharmacy, which can lead to negative clinical outcomes. In Portugal, LTCFs provide essential care for individuals aged 65 or older, offering temporary or permanent accommodation. These facilities are not considered healthcare providers, and as a result, pharmaceutical services are not mandatory. This study aimed to evaluate medication management practices in Portuguese LTCFs, identify which professionals are responsible for managing medications, and identify potential gaps in safety and efficacy.

methodsA cross-sectional electronic questionnaire was sent by email to 2552 Portuguese LTCFs from the Portuguese "Carta Social" database. Data collection took place between 20 July and 2 August 2023, yielding a response rate of 15.4% (392 institutions).

resultsMost LTCFs (94.39%) oversee their resident's medication, with 75.95% using the same pharmacy. Individualised medication packaging is used by 57.84% of facilities, and 97.84% provide medication reconciliation and review, mainly conducted by physicians and nurses. Medication is often stored in nursing offices (81.12%) but also in kitchens or dining rooms. Nurses are responsible for medication storage (87.50%) and preparation (81.89%), although non-nursing staff are also involved. In 63.27% of LTCFs, the same individual is responsible for both the preparation and verification of medication. Assistants are involved in both the checking (30.56%) and administering (45.66%) of medication.

conclusionsThe results presented illustrate the current status of LTCFs in Portugal. Medication management presents a significant challenge, and it is notable that the role of the pharmacist in this process is not as prominent as it is in other countries.

Indexed as

ageingconsultant pharmacistlong-term care facilitiesmedication management

Identifiers

PMID39517357
PMCPMC11544867

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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.