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Thinking Outside the Box

NCT04713215 · Status: COMPLETED · Type: OBSERVATIONAL · Enrollment: 176

Last updated 2024-02-02

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Medication adherence - the extent to which a patient takes their medications as prescribed - is a global problem. Half of all medicines given to patients with long-term health problems are not taken properly by the patient. Older adults are also more at risk of harm from their medications as they tend to take more medicines than young people, and are less able to cope with their effects.

There has been research into how to address these problems. One way has been through providing patients with a medication compliance aid (MCA), to help with taking their medications on time. MCAs are pre-packaged boxes containing tablets, grouped together according to the day and time the medication needs to be taken. Some patients buy the MCA and fill it themselves, other patients collect a MCA that their pharmacy makes for them.

There is not much proof that pharmacy-filled MCAs help patients, and some research suggests they may cause harm. The views of patients on MCA use have not yet been fully explored - it is not clear why some patients choose to stop using an MCA or refuse one when offered. Many patients with MCAs also have a family member or friend who helps them with their medication. No research has recognised the role of informal carers in helping patients with MCAs or asked them their thoughts.

This study aims to understand what patients, aged 65 and older, and their informal carers think about MCAs and how they affect their lives. It is a questionnaire study which will take place within a National Health Service (NHS) hospital. It's designed to take approximately 20 minutes, either face to face or by phone. The investigators hope that the results from this study will help to inform how healthcare professionals use MCAs to the benefit of patients and their carers.

Conditions

  • Medication Compliance
  • Medication Adherence
  • Caregivers
  • Attitude

Interventions

OTHER

Questionnaire

A short (approximately 20-minute) questionnaire will be administered to patients and carers who meet the inclusion criteria and who have expressed and interested, and consented to completing the questionnaire.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • King's College London

    collaborator OTHER

  • Sir Halley Stewart Trust

    collaborator UNKNOWN

  • Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Rebekah Schiff, BSc, MBBS · Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
110 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2021-07-07
Primary Completion
2022-06-30
Completion
2022-06-30

Countries

  • United Kingdom

Study Locations

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Companies

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT04713215 on ClinicalTrials.gov