Medicines management at home during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study exploring the UK patient/carer perspective

Abstract

Objectives To explore home medicine practices and safety for people shielding and/or over the age of 70 during the COVID-19 pandemic and to create guidance, from the patient/carer perspective, for enabling safe medicine practices for this population. Methods Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 50 UK participants who were shielding and/or over the age of 70 and who used medicines for a long-term condition, using telephone or video conferencing. Participants were recruited through personal/professional networks and through patient/carer organisations. Participants were asked about their experiences of managing medicines during the pandemic and how this differed from previous practices. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Key findings Patients’ and their families’ experiences of managing medicines safely during the pandemic varied greatly. Analysis suggests that this was based on the patient’s own agency, the functioning of their medicines system pre-pandemic and their relationships with family, friends, community networks and pharmacy staff. Medicine safety issues reported included omitted doses and less-effective formulations being used. Participants also described experiencing high levels of anxiety related to obtaining medicines, monitoring medicines and feeling at risk of contracting COVID-19 while accessing healthcare services for medicine-related issues. Effects of the pandemic on medicines adherence were reported to be positive by some and negative by others. Conclusions Pharmacy staff have a key role to play by establishing good relationships with patients and their families, working with prescribers to ensure medicines systems are as joined up as possible, and signposting to community networks that can help with medicines collection.

Resilience of Medication Adherence Practices in Response to Life Changes: Learning from Qualitative Data Obtained during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…We carried out a secondary analysis of the transcripts of 50 semi-structured interviews that had been carried out in a study investigating medication safety practices for UK patients staying at home as much as possible during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic [10]. The study included adults who were advised to "shield" [11] or were over 70 years of age and who were taking at least one long-term medicine.…”

“…The study included adults who were advised to "shield" [11] or were over 70 years of age and who were taking at least one long-term medicine. Table 1 describes their characteristics [10]. Any adults that had assisted with the medication management of such adults were also eligible for participation [10].…”

“…Table 1 describes their characteristics [10]. Any adults that had assisted with the medication management of such adults were also eligible for participation [10]. Those under 18 years, unable to consent to interview, or without access to telephone or internet, were excluded [10].…”

“…Any adults that had assisted with the medication management of such adults were also eligible for participation [10]. Those under 18 years, unable to consent to interview, or without access to telephone or internet, were excluded [10]. Participants were recruited through the researchers' own personal and professional networks, patient and carer charities and organisations, and engagement with patient and public involvement partners [10].…”

“…Those under 18 years, unable to consent to interview, or without access to telephone or internet, were excluded [10]. Participants were recruited through the researchers' own personal and professional networks, patient and carer charities and organisations, and engagement with patient and public involvement partners [10]. Both social media and word-of-mouth were used to support recruitment.…”