PMID- 32897448
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20210503
LR  - 20210503
IS  - 1863-4362 (Electronic)
IS  - 0021-1265 (Print)
IS  - 0021-1265 (Linking)
VI  - 190
IP  - 2
DP  - 2021 May
TI  - General practitioners' knowledge of and attitudes towards prescribing 
      psychoactive drugs in dementia care: a cross-sectional questionnaire study.
PG  - 667-675
LID - 10.1007/s11845-020-02356-7 [doi]
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite their adverse effects, antipsychotics are frequently 
      prescribed to manage behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). 
      At present, we do not have a good understanding of general practitioners' (GPs) 
      current management of BPSD. AIMS: To explore the knowledge, attitudes, and 
      opinions of GPs regarding the prescribing of psychoactive drugs in managing BPSD. 
      METHODS: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. A questionnaire was 
      adapted from a previous study and piloted with three GPs and was posted to a 
      census sample of all GPs working in counties Cork and Kerry, Ireland. We 
      collected and analysed both quantitative and qualitative data. RESULTS: Of the 
      456 eligible GPs who received the questionnaire, 168 GPs returned completed 
      questionnaires (response rate 36.8%). All respondents (100%, 168/168) believed 
      that antipsychotics did not benefit all patients with BPSD. The majority of GPs 
      (69%, 116/168) routinely recommended non-pharmacological interventions before 
      medication to manage BPSD. Most GPs (60.7%, 102/168) welcomed more training and 
      experience to improve their management of BPSD. The qualitative comments provided 
      by GPs described a pressure to prescribe from nursing home staff. GPs highlighted 
      that the management of BPSD is difficult in daily practice and felt that 
      antipsychotics still have a role to play. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified 
      several factors influencing the prescription of antipsychotics for patients with 
      BPSD as well as the prescribing dilemmas faced by GPs in their daily practice. 
      These findings can be used to guide future interventions aimed at reducing 
      inappropriate prescribing in dementia care.
FAU - Dhuny, Sheefah
AU  - Dhuny S
AUID- ORCID: 0000-0001-5033-3119
AD  - Department of General Practice, Western Gateway Building, University College 
      Cork, Cork, Ireland. dsheefah@gmail.com.
FAU - Foley, Tony
AU  - Foley T
AUID- ORCID: 0000-0003-3205-3871
AD  - Department of General Practice, Western Gateway Building, University College 
      Cork, Cork, Ireland.
FAU - Jennings, Aisling
AU  - Jennings A
AUID- ORCID: 0000-0002-9246-3955
AD  - Department of General Practice, Western Gateway Building, University College 
      Cork, Cork, Ireland.
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
DEP - 20200908
PL  - Ireland
TA  - Ir J Med Sci
JT  - Irish journal of medical science
JID - 7806864
RN  - 0 (Psychotropic Drugs)
SB  - IM
MH  - *Attitude of Health Personnel
MH  - Cross-Sectional Studies
MH  - Dementia/*drug therapy/psychology
MH  - Female
MH  - General Practitioners/*standards
MH  - Humans
MH  - Male
MH  - Psychotropic Drugs/pharmacology/*therapeutic use
MH  - Surveys and Questionnaires
PMC - PMC7477732
OTO - NOTNLM
OT  - Antipsychotics
OT  - Dementia
OT  - General practice
OT  - Primary care
OT  - Questionnaires
COIS- The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
EDAT- 2020/09/09 06:00
MHDA- 2021/05/04 06:00
PMCR- 2020/09/08
CRDT- 2020/09/08 12:15
PHST- 2020/05/27 00:00 [received]
PHST- 2020/08/31 00:00 [accepted]
PHST- 2020/09/09 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2021/05/04 06:00 [medline]
PHST- 2020/09/08 12:15 [entrez]
PHST- 2020/09/08 00:00 [pmc-release]
AID - 10.1007/s11845-020-02356-7 [pii]
AID - 2356 [pii]
AID - 10.1007/s11845-020-02356-7 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Ir J Med Sci. 2021 May;190(2):667-675. doi: 10.1007/s11845-020-02356-7. Epub 2020 
      Sep 8.