Medication communication with older adults experiencing chronic illness and polypharmacy
Authors:   ,   Linnaeus University, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Department of Health and Caring Sciences, Adelsjö Igor 
Published: March 2023

Background: Populations in many high-income countries are ageing, with an ever-increasing proportion of the population aged 65 years or older. Despite increasingly better health in older people, susceptibility to chronic illness increase with age. As life expectancy increases, the length of time people can live with chronic illness increases correspondingly, mainly due to improved medication treatments. Decreased number of hospital beds per capita and length of stay in hospital has gained primary care an increasing role in the healthcare system, with higher demands on patients and their knowledge and abilities to manage medications and self-management. Aim: The overarching aim of this thesis was to explore how medication regimens are communicated in primary care consultations and in written discharge letters. Methods: In Study I, passive participant observations of primary care consultations were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using content analysis. Study II had a convergent mixed methods design. An assessment matrix, constructed based on previous research, was used to assess and quantify discharge letter content. The quantified discharge letter content, questionnaires and register data were used to calculate correlations between discharge letter content and readmission rate as well as self-rated quality of care transition. Finally, associations between discharge letter content and time to readmission were calculated both univariable and multivariable. In addition to discharge letter content, several other potential independent variables were included in the multivariable analysis. Results: Both studies show that physicians were prone to give information about medications and blood-samples or other examinations performed in advance to the consultation (Study I) or during the hospital admission (Study II). The physicians were, however, less prone to inform patients about self-management and lifestyle changes, symptoms to be aware of, and what to do in case they would appear. Communication was occasionally hindered by misunderstandings, e.g., when vague expressions or words with ambiguous meaning was used. Ambiguities e.g., arose due to dialectal disparity. Although physicians mainly communicated in plain language with patients, medication names imposed a significant problem for patients and in communication about medications. Discharge letter content was not associated to readmissions, the only significant predictor variables for time to readmission were previous admission the past 180 days and birth outside the Nordic countries. Discharge letters with more content were, on the other hand, correlated to worse self-estimated quality of care transition from hospital to home (Study II). Conclusions: Physicians informed patients about tests and examinations performed in the past time, and comprehensive information was provided about medications, both during consultations and in discharge letters. However, information about symptoms to be aware of and measures to take in case they would appear was scarce in consultations and discharge letters. In conversations where lifestyle changes were raised, the topic was quickly dropped without recommendations or offering support if the patient showed unconcern. Lifestyle changes in relation to chronic illness and medications were rarely discussed. Improved lifestyle as a means of reducing the need for medications was not discussed or informed about in discharge letters. Discharge letter content did not have any impact on readmissions.