Trial lecture: Deprescribing interventions – how can pharmacists promote their effectiveness?
The ordinary opponents are:
- First opponent: Professor Francisca Leiva Fernandez, University of Málaga, Spain
- Second opponent: Associate Professor Kjell Hermann Halvorsen, UiT The Arctic University of Norway
- Chair of the committee: Associate Professor Sanko Hoan Nguyen, OsloMet
The leader of the public defense is Head of Department Elin Holter Anthonisen, OsloMet.
The main supervisor is Associate Professor Lene Berge Holm, OsloMet.
The co-supervisors are Associate Professor Tonje Krogstad, OsloMet and Professor Cecilie Johannessen Landmark, OsloMet.
Thesis abstract
Adhering to prescribed medication regimens significantly influences patient outcomes. Despite this, rates of patients’ medication adherence vary widely, underscoring the importance for clinical health professionals like pharmacists and physicians to focus on adherence-enhancing approaches.
The overall aim of the thesis was to devise an approach to enhance patients’ medication adherence.
OsloMet Adherence-to-Medication Survey tool (OMAS-37) was developed to assess adherence and quantify causes of non-adherence. OMAS-37 proved to be a valid and reliable instrument, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.91.
The AntiDepressants mobile App, ADA, was tailored for users of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs). The content was structured around the main causes of non-adherence for this patient group, identified by utilising OMAS-37. Access to ADA led to a statistically significant (p<0.01) enhanced adherence to medication for users SSRIs and SNRIs.
The thesis demonstrates that an intervention tailored to address the main causes of non-adherence in a patient group appears to be effective.Moreover, the utilisation of OMAS-37 can serve as a beneficial approach for clinical health professionals, such as pharmacists and physicians, to identify the main causes of non-adherence for individual patients or specific patient groups, and to use as a starting point for adherence interventions.
Future research should explore this approach with other patient groups including investigating long-term effects on adherence or by using other study designs.
