Older Adults' Perceptions of the Causes and Consequences of Healthcare Overuse: A Qualitative Study.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Overuse of healthcare is pervasive in the United States, often exposing patients to harm with little likelihood of benefit. Older Americans are particularly vulnerable to overuse and impacted by it, yet it is unknown whether older patients perceive overuse as a consequential problem. OBJECTIVE:To explore the experiences and perspectives of older adults with respect to healthcare overuse in order to develop a framework for understanding and reducing overuse in older adults. DESIGN:Qualitative study using focus group methodology. PARTICIPANTS:Five focus groups were held with people ≥65 years of age (N = 38) in four senior centers in Baltimore, Maryland, in 2016. APPROACH:Transcripts were analyzed using qualitative content analysis to identify major themes. KEY RESULTS:Of the 38 pa

SUBMITTER: Green AR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5975132 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature