Medicines and Patient Safety: Elderly and Other Vulnerable Patients, 2015

The main objectives of this project were to make the use of medicines safer and more effective for vulnerable patients, improving the health of patients through health services research focusing on the use of medicines by individuals and by society, to utilize pharmacoeconomic methodology in regard to prescribing quality and pharmaceutical intervention, and to analyze how this affects patient safety. The study of medicines and safety in vulnerable patients groups has many application potentials. By improving prescribing quality and through pharmacoeconomic assessments, efforts may reduce the risk of medication errors and promote a more rational use of the governmental health budget. This project includes a research strategy to be conducted by a research group in social pharmacy and pharmacy practice in collaboration with several research institutions on the Western Health Region of Norway, at the University of Oslo and the University of Groeningen. The research project was built on two substudies (elderly, herbal medicines), with medicines and patient safety as the common denominator.

The data material includes following datasets:
- Mamen et al.: The aim of this study was to investigate Norwegian elderly patients' need for drug information and their attitudes towards MURs. Method: Structured questionnaire. In Norway's two largest cities, 162 patients who used at least one prescription drug were recruited from 18 senior centres.
- Heitmann, Solheimsnes et al.: The purposes of this study were to investigate the treatments used for nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) according to NVP severity among Norwegian women and to assess whether maternal characteristics and attitudes were related to the use of pharmacological treatment of NVP. Method: Cross-sectional web-based study accessible from November 10th, 2014 to January 31st, 2015. Pregnant women and mothers with children =1 year of age were eligible to participate.
- Heitmann, Svendsen, et al.: The aim of this study was to explore thoughts and attitudes among Norwegian pregnant women and GPs on treatment of NVP and pregnancy care. Method: Separate focus-group discussions were conducted with pregnant women and GPs.
- Andreassen et al.: The aim of this study was to explore the perspectives of physicians, registered nurses and auxiliary nurses on the use, usefulness and potential challenges of using capillary blood glucose measurements in nursing homes, and the procedures for doing so. Method: three profession-specific focus group interviews. Interviews were transcribed in modified verbatim form and analysed in accordance with Malterud's principles of systematic text condensation. Five physicians, four registered nurses and three auxiliary nurses participated in the focus groups.

For further information about ”Medicines and Patient Safety: Elderly and Other Vulnerable Patients, 2015”, please contact the principal investigator.