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Development and Validation of the Revised Patients’ Attitudes Towards Deprescribing (rPATD) Questionnaire: Versions for Older Adults and Caregivers

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Abstract

Background

Knowledge of consumer (patient and caregiver) attitudes is essential for conducting medication optimization in practice.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to develop and validate a questionnaire to capture older adults’ and caregivers’ beliefs and attitudes towards deprescribing.

Methods

The previously validated Patients’ Attitudes Towards Deprescribing (PATD) questionnaire was expanded based on literature review, expert opinion and focus groups, and a caregivers’ version was developed. The revised questionnaire was piloted and then distributed for self-completion to older adults (≥65 years of age), taking at least one regular medication and caregivers of older adults. Psychometric validity and reliability were examined. Responses to questions that were identified to group into a specific factor were combined to produce a score.

Results

A total of 383 consumer questionnaires and 200 caregiver questionnaires were completed and included in analysis. Exploratory factor analysis revealed four factors in both versions of the questionnaire (with four to five questions retained in each factor). The factors relate to the perceived burden of medication taking, belief in appropriateness of medication use (harms and benefits), concerns about stopping the medication, and level of involvement/knowledge of medications. Internal consistency of all factors was acceptable with Cronbach’s alpha >0.6. In both the older adults’ and caregivers’ versions, the burden score was inversely associated with the appropriateness score (p < 0.001 both versions). Factor scores between administration times (test–retest reliability) were statistically significantly correlated (p = 0.000), with gamma values ranging between 0.57 and 0.89.

Conclusion

The revised PATD questionnaire had acceptable validity and reliability. This newly validated questionnaire may provide insight into individuals’ willingness for/barriers to deprescribing, with applications in practice and research.

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Acknowledgements

The authors express their gratitude to all participants who completed the questionnaires and to the experts who contributed to item generation and content validity assessment. We also appreciate the contribution of the organizations and many individuals who assisted with the distribution and advertising of the questionnaires, in particular Tara Quirke, Catriona Lorang and Jan van Emden.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cognitive Decline Partnership Centre, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Northern Clinical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Emily Reeve & Sarah N. Hilmer

  2. Geriatric Medicine Research, Faculty of Medicine, Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre, Dalhousie University and Nova Scotia Health Authority, Rm. 1315 Camp Hill Veterans’ Memorial Building, 5955 Veterans’ Memorial Lane, Halifax, NS, B3H 2E1, Canada

    Emily Reeve

  3. Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Lee-Fay Low

  4. Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia

    Sepehr Shakib

  5. Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Science, School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia

    Sepehr Shakib

  6. Departments of Aged Care and Clinical Pharmacology, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, NSW, Australia

    Sarah N. Hilmer

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  1. Emily Reeve
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Emily Reeve.

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Funding

This research was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Cognitive Decline Partnership Centre (CDPC). The CDPC receives support from the NHMRC and funding partners, including HammondCare, Alzheimer’s Australia, Brightwater Care Group and Helping Hand Aged Care. Project funding from the CDPC is delivered through the University of Sydney, Aging and Pharmacology Group. The funding bodies had a role in the study concept, but no role in the collection, analysis or interpretation of data, writing of the report, or the decision to submit the article for publication. Funding partners HammondCare, Helping Hand Aged Care and Alzheimer’s Australia had a role in the distribution of the questionnaires and advertising of the online version. Lee-Fay Low is funded by an NHRMC Career Development Fellowship.

Conflicts of interest

Emily Reeve, Lee-Fay Low, Sepehr Shakib and Sarah Hilmer declare that they have no conflicts of interest relevant to the content of this article.

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Reeve, E., Low, LF., Shakib, S. et al. Development and Validation of the Revised Patients’ Attitudes Towards Deprescribing (rPATD) Questionnaire: Versions for Older Adults and Caregivers. Drugs Aging 33, 913–928 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40266-016-0410-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40266-016-0410-1

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