Leveraging Behavioral Science to Improve Medicine Optimization Conversations With Older Adults

September 24, 2025 updated by: Vordenberg, University of Michigan
Our online, survey-based experiment will include 2,400 adults who are 65-years and older (n=1,200 each from United States and Australia). Each participant will be asked to give their opinions on a hypothetical patient scenario that has been developed by our diverse team in partnership with our stakeholder organizations.This work is expected to significantly contribute to our understanding of how older adults make decisions about deprescribing medications.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

2420

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Michigan
      • Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48109
        • University of Michigan

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • 65 years and older and resides in Australia or the United States

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Factorial Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Start medication - Lower chance of future health problems
Participants read a hypothetical scenario where a doctor recommends starting a new medication to lower their chances of experiencing significant health problems.
Other: Anticipated long-term use of medication
In this hypothetical scenario, the doctor anticipates that the participant will take this medication for the rest of their life.
Other: Period re-evaluation of medication
In this hypothetical scenario, the doctor anticipates that the participant will take this medication for the rest of their life but will periodically re-evaluate the benefits and risks of the medication.
Experimental: Start medication - Higher risk without medication
Participants read a hypothetical scenario where a doctor recommends starting a new medication because they could experience a higher risk of serious health problems without it
Other: Anticipated long-term use of medication
In this hypothetical scenario, the doctor anticipates that the participant will take this medication for the rest of their life.
Other: Period re-evaluation of medication
In this hypothetical scenario, the doctor anticipates that the participant will take this medication for the rest of their life but will periodically re-evaluate the benefits and risks of the medication.
Experimental: Stop medication - Lack of benefit
Participants read a hypothetical scenario where a doctor suggests stopping the medication due to a lack of benefit.
Other: Anticipated long-term use of medication
In this hypothetical scenario, the doctor anticipates that the participant will take this medication for the rest of their life.
Other: Period re-evaluation of medication
In this hypothetical scenario, the doctor anticipates that the participant will take this medication for the rest of their life but will periodically re-evaluate the benefits and risks of the medication.
Experimental: Stop medication - Potential for harm
Participants read a hypothetical scenario where a doctor suggests stopping the medication due to the potential for harm.
Other: Anticipated long-term use of medication
In this hypothetical scenario, the doctor anticipates that the participant will take this medication for the rest of their life.
Other: Period re-evaluation of medication
In this hypothetical scenario, the doctor anticipates that the participant will take this medication for the rest of their life but will periodically re-evaluate the benefits and risks of the medication.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Preference regarding starting medication
Time Frame: 1 year
Response to statement, "Based on what you have read so far, what would you prefer to do with this diabetes medicine?" on a 6-point Likert scale with scale anchors 1=Strongly prefer not to start medicine and 6=Strongly prefer to start medicine
1 year
Stopping medication
Time Frame: 1 year
Response to statement, "Based on what you have read so far, what would you prefer to do with this diabetes medicine?" on a 6-point Likert scale with scale anchors 1=Strongly prefer not to continue and 6=Strongly prefer to stop
1 year

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of Michigan

Collaborators

University of Sydney

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

November 1, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

January 30, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

January 30, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 19, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 19, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

November 21, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

September 26, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 24, 2025

Last Verified

November 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • HUM00259517

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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