Rethinking Brain Health: Safe & Effective de-prescribing of anticholinergics

It is easy to assume that every household carries more than one over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. According to the Food and Drug Administration, there are more than 300,000 over-the-counter drug products on the market. OTC drugs are convenient and less expensive for people to relieve symptoms. The benefits of OTC drugs accompany dangers as well. Opioid abuse is a widely known example that presents the negative consequences of OTC drugs in pain management.

In collaborating with the Brain Safety Lab at the Regenstrief Institute, this project aimed to identify contextual factors causing OTC drug-related issues. The design research team specifically focused on the senior population and investigated patients’ perceptions and behaviors involved in OTC drugs. In completing a holistic picture of the issue, the team also identified healthcare providers’ challenges in prescribing medications.

The deliverables from the project included a giga map that mapped out the contextual factors embedded in patients’ perceptions and behaviors consuming these medications as well as providers’ challenges in prescribing them.

The Giga map, which is characterized by a larger format of data mapping, was produced as an outcome of the study. The map, utilized by the Brain Safety Lab, served to develop a strategic point of view in developing interventions and to formulate research questions aligned with the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Initiative.

Role Design Research Lead
Date January- March 2016
Design Research Team Ed Sieferd, Jack Rong, Linjun Chen, Lisa Semidey, Madison Stevens, Miley Philips, Vesta Mohebbi, Wendy Hsu
Project partner Brain Safety Lab at Regenstrief Institute