Toggle Main Menu Toggle Search

Open Access padlockePrints

Age-related references in national public health, technology appraisal and clinical guidelines and guidance: documentary analysis

Lookup NU author(s): Lynne Forrest, Dr Jean Adams, Dr Sarah SowdenORCiD, Professor Martin White

Downloads


Licence

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).


Abstract

Background older people may be less likely to receive interventions than younger people. Age bias in national guidance may influence entire public health and health care systems. We examined how English National Institute for Health & Care Excellence (NICE) guidance and guidelines consider age. Methods we undertook a documentary analysis of NICE public health (n = 33) and clinical (n = 114) guidelines and technology appraisals (n = 212). We systematically searched for age-related terms, and conducted thematic analysis of the paragraphs in which these occurred (‘age-extracts’). Quantitative analysis explored frequency of age-extracts between and within document types. Illustrative quotes were used to elaborate and explain quantitative findings. Results 2,314 age-extracts were identified within three themes: age documented as an a-priori consideration at scope-setting (518 age-extracts, 22.4%); documentation of differential effectiveness, cost-effectiveness or other outcomes by age (937 age-extracts, 40.5%); and documentation of age-specific recommendations (859 age-extracts, 37.1%). Public health guidelines considered age most comprehensively. There were clear examples of older-age being considered in both evidence searching and in making recommendations, suggesting that this can be achieved within current processes. Conclusions we found inconsistencies in how age is considered in NICE guidance and guidelines. More effort may be required to ensure age is consistently considered. Future NICE committees should search for and document evidence of age-related differences in receipt of interventions. Where evidence relating to effectiveness and cost-effectiveness in older populations is available, more explicit age-related recommendations should be made. Where there is a lack of evidence, it should be stated what new research is needed.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Forrest LF, Adams J, Ben-Shlomo Y, Buckner S, Payne N, Rimmer M, Salway S, Sowden S, Walters K, White M

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Age and Ageing

Year: 2017

Volume: 46

Issue: 3

Pages: 500-508

Print publication date: 01/05/2017

Online publication date: 17/12/2016

Acceptance date: 05/10/2016

Date deposited: 19/12/2016

ISSN (print): 0002-0729

ISSN (electronic): 1468-2834

Publisher: Oxford University Press

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afw235

DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afw235


Altmetrics

Altmetrics provided by Altmetric


Funding

Funder referenceFunder name
ES/G007462/1
ESRC

Share