Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41248395›Full record

ReviewBMJ open2025

Realist review of informal carer involvement in the transition of medicines-related care for patients moving from hospital to home.

Charlotte Lucy Richardson, Matthew Cooper, Olivia Atkinson, David Black, Laura Lindsey, Christina Cooper, Hamde Nazar, Geoff Wong, Carmel Hughes

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in BMJ open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
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

9 authors.

Charlotte Lucy RichardsonNational Institute for Health and Care Research Newcastle Patient Safety Research Collaborative, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Charlotte.Richardson2@newcastle.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2195-4279
Matthew CooperNational Institute for Health and Care Research Newcastle Patient Safety Research Collaborative, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5915-2429
Olivia AtkinsonNational Institute for Health and Care Research Newcastle Patient Safety Research Collaborative, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-7553-6922
David BlackPublic Contributor to the School of Pharmacy, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Laura LindseySchool of Pharmacy, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
Christina CooperFaculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7540-3312
Hamde NazarNational Institute for Health and Care Research Newcastle Patient Safety Research Collaborative, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3168-5386
Geoff WongNuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, Oxford University, Oxford, UK.
Carmel HughesPrimary Care Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4656-6021

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThe aim of this work was to understand carer involvement in transitions of care from hospital to home in relation to medicines management. Specifically,

designA realist review was conducted in line with a published protocol and as registered

resultsFollowing title and abstract screening of 4835 papers, the final number of included articles was 208. The evidence synthesis identified 31 CMOCs which were categorised into three themes: (1) continuum of support; (2) understanding the carers' priorities, role and responsibilities through shared decision-making (SDM) and (3) access to appropriate materials, resources and support information. These themes were formed into an updated PT with accompanying narrative that explained the transition from hospital to home involving carers in medicines management and identified possible areas for future intervention development.

conclusionThis review provides insights and recommendations on how carers can be better supported when managing medicines when patients are discharged from hospital. Carers need a continuum of support throughout and following the transition. Healthcare professionals can support this by understanding the carer's priorities, role and responsibilities through SDM during the hospital stay. Consequently, carers can then be offered access to appropriate materials, resources and support information which allows them to provide better care relating to medicines in the long term.

Indexed as

CaregiversHome Care ServicesMedication Therapy ManagementPatient TransferHumansPatient DischargeCaregiversHospital to Home TransitionMedication AdherenceMedicine

Identifiers

PMID41248395
PMCPMC12625932

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.