A recently published paper in the BMC Health Services Research journal sets out findings from a study which explored the feasibility of conducting a trial of a full clinical medication review for care home residents with behaviour that challenges, combined with staff training.  The paper by Maidment and colleagues focused on the feasibility of measuring clinical outcomes and intervention costs.

“People living with moderate to severe dementia, receiving psychotropics for behaviour that challenges, in care homes were recruited for a medication review by a specialist pharmacist. Care home and primary care staff received training on the management of challenging behaviour.

Data were collected at 8 weeks, and 3 and 6 months. Measures were Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Nursing Home version (NPI-NH), cognition (sMMSE), quality of life (EQ-5D-5 L/DEMQoL) and costs (Client Services Receipt Inventory).

Response rates, for clinical, quality of life and health economic measures, including the levels of resource-use associated with the medication review and other non-intervention costs were calculated.

Twenty-nine of 34 participants recruited received a medication review. It was feasible to measure the effects of the complex intervention on the management of behaviour that challenges with the NPI-NH. There was valid NPI-NH data at each time point (response rate = 100%). The sMMSE response rate was 18.2%. Levels of resource-use associated with the medication review were estimated for all 29 participants who received a medication review. Good response levels were achieved for other non-intervention costs (100% completion rate), and the EQ-5D-5 L and DEMQoL (≥88% at each of the time points where data was collected).”

The study found that it is “feasible to measure the clinical and cost effectiveness of a complex intervention for behaviour that challenges using the NPI-NH and quality of life measures”.

Full paper (open access):

Ian D. Maidment, Garry Barton, Niyah Campbell, Rachel Shaw, Nichola Seare, Chris Fox, Steve Iliffe, Emma Randle, Andrea Hilton, Graeme Brown, Nigel Barnes, Jane Wilcock, Sarah Gillespie & Sarah Damery (2020) MEDREV (pharmacy-health psychology intervention in people living with dementia with behaviour that challenges): the feasibility of measuring clinical outcomes and costs of the intervention, BMC Health Services Research, 20, 157.