Relationship between administrative characteristics of long‐term care institutions and use of antipsychotics and anxiolytics in residents with cognitive impairment

Abstract

ObjectivesTo identify the facility characteristics that are associated with prescribing practices of typical and atypical antipsychotics, and anxiolytics in residents with cognitive impairment in long‐term care (LTC) institutions.MethodsA cross‐sectional analysis of a country‐representative sample of 23 LTC institutions in Poland was conducted in 2015–2016. Trained staff from each facility used the InterRAI‐LTCF tool and drug dispensary cards on the day of resident's assessment to collect data on medication use from 455 residents with cognitive impairment. We used the anatomical therapeutic chemical classification and a multiple correspondence analysis.ResultsWe identified facility characteristics associated with higher rate of prescribing of: typical antipsychotics (nursing home, private ownership status, higher staff/bed ratio of physicians and nurses, and lower as refers to care assistants); atypical antipsychotics (residential home, public ownership status, higher staff/bed ratio of care assistants, and lower as refers to physicians); and anxiolytics (residential home, facilities of small size, public ownership status, higher staff/bed ratio of care assistants, lower of nurses and physicians). In the facilities where less residents received typical antipsychotics, anxiolytics were prescribed more often, and vice versa (rho = −0.442; p = 0.035).ConclusionThis study showed a considerable variation in the use of typical and atypical antipsychotics, and anxiolytics between nursing and residential homes, which was associated with their organization (type, size, ownership status, and employment rate). We found a negative correlation between prescribing typical antipsychotics and anxiolytics, which made us aware that these medications may be used interchangeably in LTC facilities, despite the fact that both should be avoided.