TY - JOUR
T1 - Cholinesterase inhibitors and Alzheimer's disease
T2 - patient, carer and professional factors influencing the use of drugs for Alzheimer's disease in the United Kingdom
AU - Hutchings, Deborah
AU - Vanoli, Alessandro
AU - McKeith, Ian
AU - Brotherton, Sue
AU - McNamee, Paul
AU - Bond, John
PY - 2010/8
Y1 - 2010/8
N2 - Between 2001 and 2006 UK guidance recommended that people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease were eligible for treatment with donepezil, rivastigmine and galanatamine on the National Health Service (NHS). However, there was considerable variation in uptake of and access to treatment. This qualitative study aimed to understand which factors influence decisions to initiate, continue and discontinue treatment with the drugs. The views and experiences of 12 older people referred for memory problems or receiving treatment, 11 family carers and 16 health and social care professionals were obtained using a combination of semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Four factors outside UK guidance and prescribing budgets influence decisions to utilize the drug treatments, namely: perceptions of treatment availability and effectiveness; resource capacity; carer perceived benefits; and professional ethics. Unequal access to treatment and ethical concerns remain key issues.
AB - Between 2001 and 2006 UK guidance recommended that people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease were eligible for treatment with donepezil, rivastigmine and galanatamine on the National Health Service (NHS). However, there was considerable variation in uptake of and access to treatment. This qualitative study aimed to understand which factors influence decisions to initiate, continue and discontinue treatment with the drugs. The views and experiences of 12 older people referred for memory problems or receiving treatment, 11 family carers and 16 health and social care professionals were obtained using a combination of semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Four factors outside UK guidance and prescribing budgets influence decisions to utilize the drug treatments, namely: perceptions of treatment availability and effectiveness; resource capacity; carer perceived benefits; and professional ethics. Unequal access to treatment and ethical concerns remain key issues.
KW - Alzheimer's disease
KW - cholinesterase inhibitors
KW - decision making
KW - evidence-based health and social care
KW - treatment
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77956080581&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/1471301210375340
DO - 10.1177/1471301210375340
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:77956080581
SN - 1471-3012
VL - 9
SP - 427
EP - 443
JO - Dementia: the international journal of social research and practice
JF - Dementia: the international journal of social research and practice
IS - 3
ER -