| 1. |
- Sjölander, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Impact of clinical pharmacist engagement in ward teams on the number of drug-related readmissions among Swedish older patients with dementia or cognitive impairment : an economic evaluation
- 2019
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Ingår i: Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy. - : Elsevier. - 1551-7411 .- 1934-8150. ; 5:3, s. 287-291
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Clinical pharmacists play an increasing role in the pharmacological treatment of hospital-admitted older patients with dementia or cognitive impairment. In an earlier randomised controlled trial, clinical pharmacist involvement in the ward team could significantly reduce drug-related readmissions in patient subgroups. However, the economic impact of the intervention has not been addressed so far.OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the economic impact of clinical pharmacist engagement in hospital ward teams for medication therapy management in older patients with dementia or cognitive impairments.METHODS: Economic evaluation of a randomised controlled trial conducted in two hospitals in Northern Sweden between January 2012 and December 2014. Participants included 460 hospital-admitted older patients with dementia or cognitive impairments. Patients were randomly assigned to usual care, or usual care with pharmacist intervention; the intervention consisted of medication reconciliation, medication review, and participation in ward rounds. The outcomes were measured as drug-related readmissions to hospital as assessed by a group of external experts, 180 and 30 days after discharge. Costs included pharmacists' direct labour costs for the interventions, average costs for drug-related readmissions, and from this the total cost per person was calculated.RESULTS: The effect of the intervention on drug-related readmissions within 180 days was significant in patients without heart failure (subgroup analysis), and the intervention resulted in cost savings of €950 per person in this subgroup. Drug-related readmissions within 30 days were reduced in the total sample (post-hoc analysis), and the cost-savings in this intervention group were €460 per person.CONCLUSIONS: Post-hoc and subgroup analyses indicate that engagement of pharmacists in hospital ward teams reduced the number of drug-related readmissions, and that the cost per person was lower in the intervention group compared to the control group. Including clinical pharmacists created savings in the subgroups of older patients with dementia or cognitive impairments.
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| 2. |
- Björk, Sabine, et al.
(författare)
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Thriving in relation to cognitive impairment and neuropsychiatric symptoms in Swedish nursing home residents
- 2018
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Ingår i: International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0885-6230 .- 1099-1166. ; 33:1, s. E49-E57
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore relations among thriving, cognitive function, and neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) in nursing home residents.Methods: A national, cross-sectional, randomized study of Swedish nursing home residents (N = 4831) was conducted between November 2013 and September 2014. Activities of daily life functioning, cognitive functioning, NPS, and thriving were assessed with the Katz activities of daily living, Gottfries' Cognitive Scale, Nursing Home version of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, and Thriving of Older People Scale, respectively. Individual NPS were explored in relation to cognitive function. Simple linear and multiple regression models were used to explore thriving in relation to resident characteristics.Results: Aggression and depressive symptoms were identified as negatively associated with thriving regardless of resident cognitive functioning. At higher levels of cognitive functioning, several factors showed associations with thriving; however, at lower levels of cognitive functioning, only the degree of cognitive impairment and the NPS was associated with thriving. Most of the individual NPS formed nonlinear relationships with cognitive functioning with higher symptom scores in the middle stages of cognitive functioning. Exceptions were elation/euphoria and apathy, which increased linearly with severity of cognitive impairment.Conclusions: The lower the cognitive functioning was, the fewer factors were associated with thriving. Aggression and depressive symptoms may indicate lower levels of thriving; thus, targeting these symptoms should be a priority in nursing homes.
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| 3. |
- Lundman, Berit, et al.
(författare)
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Psychometric properties of the Swedish version of the Self-Transcendence Scale among very old people
- 2015
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Ingår i: Journal of Nursing Measurement. - : Springer. - 1061-3749 .- 1945-7049. ; 23:1, s. 96-111
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This study tested the psychometric properties of a Swedish version of the Self-Transcendence Scale (STS).METHODS: Cohen's weighted kappa, agreement, absolute reliability, relative reliability, and internal consistency were calculated, and the underlying structure of the STS was established by exploratory factor analysis. There were 2 samples available: 1 including 194 people aged 85-103 years and a convenience sample of 60 people aged 21-69 years.RESULTS: Weighted kappa values ranged from .40 to .89. The intraclass correlation coefficient for the original STS was .763, and the least significant change between repeated tests was 6.25 points.CONCLUSION: The revised STS was found to have satisfactory psychometric properties, and 2 of the 4 underlying dimensions in Reed's self-transcendence theory were supported.
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| 4. |
- Gustafsson, Maria, 1971-
(författare)
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Optimizing drug therapy among people with dementia : the role of clinical pharmacists
- 2016
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: Drugs are one of the cornerstones in the management of many diseases. In general, drugs are used for diagnosis, prevention, mitigation of symptoms, and, sometimes, to cure disease. However, drug treatment in elderly people, especially those with dementia and cognitive impairments, may involve significant risk of adverse drug events. The aim of this thesis was to identify the extent of potentially inappropriate drug treatment among people with dementia and cognitive impairment and to assess the occurrence and character of drug-related problems that lead to acute hospital admissions. Another aim was to assess the potential impact of a comprehensive medication review conducted by clinical pharmacists as part of a health care team on quality of patients’ drug therapy and drug-related hospital readmission rates.Method: Long-term use of antipsychotic/psychotropic drugs and associated factors were investigated among 344 and 278 people respectively with dementia living in specialized care units. Trends in the prescribing of potentially inappropriate drugs between 2007 and 2013, comprising 2772 and 1902 people, living in nursing homes in the county of Västerbotten, were assessed using six national quality indicators. Data on drug use, function in the activities of daily living, cognitive function and behavioral and psychological symptoms were collected using the Multi-Dimensional Dementia Assessment Scale. Further, an investigation of a separate corresponding population from 2012 was done, where potentially inappropriate drug use was measured before and after a total of 895 medication reviews. Finally, a randomized, controlled trial was carried out among people 65 years or older with dementia or cognitive impairment in internal medicine and orthopedic wards at two hospitals in northern Sweden. The proportion of hospital admissions that were drug-related were estimated, and also whether comprehensive medication reviews conducted by clinical pharmacists as part of a health care team could affect the risk of drug-related hospital readmissions.Results: Antipsychotic and other psychotropic drugs were frequently prescribed to people with dementia living in specialized care units for prolonged periods. Associations were found between behavioral and psychological symptoms and different psychotropic drugs. The extent of potentially inappropriate drug use declined between 2007 and 2013. In the separate corresponding population from 2012, the frequency of potentially inappropriate drug use was significantly reduced among people who underwent medication reviews. Hospitalizations due to drug-related problems among old people with dementia or cognitive impairment were prevalent. We found that inclusion of a clinical pharmacist in the health care team significantly reduced the risk of drug-related 30-day and 180-day readmissions. However, in a subset of patients with concomitant heart failure no effect was seen.Conclusion: Among patients with dementia or cognitive impairment long-term treatment with antipsychotic and other psychotropic drugs is common. The results indicate that these drugs are prescribed to treat behavioral and psychological symptoms among cognitively impaired individuals, despite limited evidence of their efficacy and the high risk of adverse effects. Drug-related problems, such as adverse drug reactions, constituted a major cause of hospital admissions. By reducing potentially inappropriate drug use and optimizing overall drug therapy, inclusion of clinical pharmacists in a health care team might improve the quality of patient care and reduce the risk of hospital readmissions among people with dementia.
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| 5. |
- Gustafsson, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Pharmacist participation in hospital ward teams and hospital readmission rates among people with dementia : a randomized controlled trial
- 2017
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Ingår i: European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. - : Springer. - 0031-6970 .- 1432-1041. ; 7:73, s. 827-835
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: To assess whether comprehensive medication reviews conducted by clinical pharmacists as part of a healthcare team reduce drug-related hospital readmission rates among people with dementia or cognitive impairment.Methods: This randomized controlled trial was carried out between January 9, 2012, and December 2, 2014. Patients aged ≥65 years with dementia or cognitive impairment admitted to three wards at two hospitals located in Northern Sweden were included.Results: Of the 473 deemed eligible for participation, 230 were randomized to intervention and 230 to control group by block randomization. The primary outcome, risk of drug-related hospital readmissions, was assessed at 180 days of follow-up by intention-to-treat analysis.During the 180 days of follow-up, 18.9% (40/212) of patients in the intervention group and 23.0% (50/217) of those in the control group were readmitted for drug-related reasons (HR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.53–1.21, p = 0.28, univariable Cox regression). Heart failure was significantly more common in the intervention group. After adjustment for heart failure as a potential confounder and an interaction term, multiple Cox regression analysis indicated that pharmacist participation significantly reduced the risk of drug-related readmissions (HR = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.27–0.90, p = 0.02). A post-hoc analysis showed a significantly reduced risk of 30-day readmissions due to drug-related problems in the total sample (without adjustment for heart failure).Conclusion: Participation of clinical pharmacists in healthcare team conducting comprehensive medication reviews did not significantly reduce the risk of drug-related readmissions in patients with dementia or cognitive impairment; however, post-hoc and subgroup analyses indicated significant effects favoring the intervention. More research is needed.Trial registration: Clinical trials NCT01504672.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Gustafsson, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Constipation and laxative use among people living in nursing homes in 2007 and 2013
- 2019
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Ingår i: BMC Geriatrics. - : BMC. - 1471-2318 .- 1471-2318. ; 19
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Constipation is a common condition among older people, particularly among people living in nursing homes, and the use of drugs such as opioids is one of many factors that contribute to its high prevalence. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of constipation and the use of laxatives between 2007 and 2013, to analyze constipation and laxative use among people who are prescribed opioids, and to identify factors associated with constipation. Methods: In 2007 and 2013, two surveys were performed in the county of Vasterbotten in Northern Sweden, comprising all those living in nursing homes. The Multi-Dimensional Dementia Assessment Scale was used to collect data regarding laxative, opioid and anticholinergic drug use, functioning in activities of daily living (ADL), cognition and symptoms of constipation. A comparison was made between 2820 people from 2007 and 1902 people from 2013. Results: The prevalence of symptoms of constipation among people living in nursing homes increased from 36% in 2007 to 40% in 2013. After controlling for age, sex, ADL, cognitive impairment and use of opioid and anticholinergic drugs, this difference was found to be statistically significant. When controlled for demographic changes, there was a statistically significant difference in the regular use of laxatives between the respective years, from 46% in 2007 to 59% in 2013. People prescribed opioids and anticholinergic drugs were at increased risk of constipation, while people with a higher ADL score were at decreased risk. Further, among people prescribed opioids and rated as constipated, 35% in 2007 and 20% in 2013 were not prescribed laxatives for regular use, a difference that was found to be statistically significant. Conclusions: The prevalence of symptoms of constipation increased between 2007 and 2013. Although there was a decrease between the years, there were still a number of people being prescribed with opioids and rated as constipated who were not treated with laxatives. This study therefore indicates that constipation remains a significant problem among people in nursing homes and also indicates that those prescribed opioids could benefit from an increased awareness of the risk of constipation and treatment, if required.
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| 8. |
- Niklasson, Johan, et al.
(författare)
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Higher morale is associated with lower risk of depressive disorders five years later among very old people
- 2017
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Ingår i: Archives of gerontology and geriatrics (Print). - : Elsevier BV. - 0167-4943 .- 1872-6976. ; 69, s. 61-68
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate whether higher morale, i.e. future-oriented optimism, at baseline was associated with lower risk of depressive disorders five years later among very old people.Methods The Umeå85+/GErontological Regional Database, a population-based study with a longitudinal design, recruited participants in Sweden and Finland aged 85, 90 and ≥95 years. The sample in the present study included 647 individuals (89.1±4.4 years (Mean±SD), range 85-103). After five years, 216 were alive and agreed to a follow-up (92.6±3.4 years, range 90-104). The Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale (PGCMS) was used to assess morale. The depressive disorder diagnosis was determined according to DSM-IV based on medical records and interview data including assessment scales for depressive disorders. A number of sociodemographic, functional and health-related variables were analysed as possible confounders.Results For those with no depressive disorders at baseline, the only baseline variable significantly associated with depressive disorders five years later was the PGCMS score. A logistic regression model showed lower risk of depressive disorders five years later with higher baseline PGCMS scores (odds ratio 0.779 for one point increase in PGCMS, p<0.001). The association remained after adjusting for social isolation (p<0.1 association with depressive disorders five years later).Conclusion Our results indicate that the higher the morale, the lower the risk of depressive disorders five years later among very old people. The PGCMS seems to identify those very old individuals at increased risk of depressive disorders five years later. Preventive measures could befocused on this group.
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| 9. |
- Skottheim, Andreas, et al.
(författare)
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Insomnia symptoms among old people in nursing homes
- 2018
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Ingår i: International psychogeriatrics. - New York : Cambridge University Press. - 1041-6102 .- 1741-203X. ; 30, s. 77-85
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Insomnia symptoms are common among old people, and hypnotics and sedative drugs are often prescribed in spite of small benefits. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of insomnia symptoms and to analyze the association between insomnia symptoms, cognitive level, and prescription of hypnotics and sedatives among old people living in nursing homes.METHODS: The study comprised 2,135 people living in nursing homes in the county of Västerbotten, Sweden. Data concerning hypnotic and sedative drugs, cognitive function, and prevalence of insomnia symptoms were collected, using the Multi-Dimensional Dementia Assessment Scale (MDDAS).RESULTS: The three most common insomnia symptoms were "sleeps for long periods during the day," "interrupted night-time sleep," and "wakes up early in the morning" with 57.8%, 56.4%, and 48.0%, respectively, of the residents exhibiting the symptoms at least once a week. Different insomnia symptoms showed different association patterns with sex and age. Most insomnia symptoms were more common among people with cognitive impairment compared to those with no cognitive impairment and seemed to reach their peak prevalence in people with moderate to severe cognitive impairment, subsequently decreasing with further cognitive decline. Of the study population, 24.0% were prescribed hypnotics and sedatives. Prescriptions were more common among those without cognitive impairment, and among those exhibiting the symptom "difficulty initiating sleep."CONCLUSIONS: Insomnia symptoms and prescription of hypnotics and sedatives are common among old people living in nursing homes. Considering the risk of adverse effects, it is important to regularly re-evaluate the need for these drugs.
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| 10. |
- Gustafsson, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Behavioral and psychological symptoms and psychotropic drugs among people with cognitive impairment in nursing homes in 2007 and 2013
- 2016
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Ingår i: European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0031-6970 .- 1432-1041. ; 72:8, s. 987-994
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PURPOSE: The use of psychotropic drugs to treat behavioral and psychological symptoms among people with dementia has been widely questioned because of its limited efficacy and risk of harmful side-effects. The objectives of this study was to compare the prevalence of behavioral and psychological symptoms and the use of psychotropic drug treatments among old people with cognitive impairment living in geriatric care units in 2007 and 2013.METHODS: Two questionnaire surveys were performed in 2007 and 2013, comprising all those living in geriatric care units in the county of Västerbotten in northern Sweden. A comparison was made between 1971 people from 2007 and 1511 people from 2013. Data were collected concerning psychotropic and antidementia drug use, functioning in the activities of daily living (ADL), cognition, and behavioral and psychological symptoms, using the Multi-Dimensional Dementia Assessment Scale (MDDAS).RESULTS: Between 2007 and 2013, the use of antipsychotic drugs declined from 25.4 to 18.9 %, and of anxiolytic, hypnotic, and sedative drugs from 35.5 to 29.4 %. The prevalence of people prescribed antidepressant drugs remained unchanged while antidementia drug prescription increased from 17.9 to 21.5 %. When controlled for demographic changes, 36 out of 39 behavioral and psychological symptoms showed no difference in prevalence between the years.CONCLUSIONS: The use of antipsychotic, anxiolytic, hypnotic, and sedative drugs declined considerably between 2007 and 2013 among old people with cognitive impairment living in geriatric care units. Despite this reduction, the prevalences of behavioral and psychological symptoms remained largely unchanged.
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