The use of psychotropic drugs for behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia among residents in long-term care facilities in Japan

ABSTRACT

Objective: To examine whether the use of psychotropic drugs (PDs) was related to behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) focusing on the prevalence, numbers of symptoms, severity, and care burden among the elderly with BPSD living in long-term care facilities in Japan.

Method: We conducted a cross-sectional survey among older people with dementia or similar symptoms (n = 312) using a questionnaire for care staff in 10 selected long-term care facilities. A brief questionnaire form of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory was used to assess BPSD.

Results: PDs were used in 45% among all participants and 47.5% among those exhibiting at least one BPSD. We found that use of PDs was associated with greater numbers, severity, and care burden of BPSD. Also, there was significantly more use of PDs among people who had specific BPSD symptoms, such as delusions, anxiety, and disinhibition, compared with those who did not.

Conclusion: The use of PDs among residents in long-term care facilities with dementia or similar symptoms was relatively low compared with previous reports from other countries. Nonetheless, the greater numbers, severity, and care burden of BPSD were associated with the use of PDs.

KEYWORDS:

• Dementia
• behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD)
• antipsychotics
• long-term care
• residential facilities

Acknowledgments

We are grateful for the support of all the residents and care staff in the long-term care facilities.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science under Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI) [grant number 26860431].