The Attitude of Older Patients to Deprescribing Polypharmacy in Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Deprescribing has been suggested as a beneficial intervention to reduce polypharmacy among older patients. However, little is known about the willingness to accept this intervention among patients in resource-limited settings.

Objective: To evaluate the attitudes of older patients to deprescribing polypharmacy.

Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was carried out among consecutively selected ambulatory patients aged ≥65 years who were on ≥5 chronic medications in two secondary healthcare facilities in Ogun State, southwest Nigeria. The 22-item revised Patients Attitude Towards Deprescribing questionnaire was used to evaluate the participants' attitudes toward deprescribing, while another ten-question tool explored participants' sociodemographic and clinical data. Logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with willingness to deprescribe among the participants using the global question, "If my doctor said it was possible, I would be willing to stop one or more of my regular medicines”.

Results: Out of the 341 participants, the majority were females (60.7%), and 90.0% were on 5-7 medications. About three-quarters (71.8%) strongly agreed or agreed that they would be willing “to stop one or more of their medicines if the doctor said it was possible”. Female gender and caregivers’ involvement in medication management were significantly associated with participants' willingness to accept deprescribing (p = 0.07 and p = 0.01).

Conclusions: Most participants were willing to accept the deprescribing of their medications. Female gender and caregivers’ involvement in medication management were predictive factors for the participants' willingness to accept deprescribing.