To understand how best to further reduce the inappropriate use of pre-surgical androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), we investigated the determinants (influences) of ADT prescribing in urologists in two European countries using an established behavioural science approach. Additionally, we sought to understand how resource limitations caused by COVID-19 influenced this practice. Identification of key determinants, of undistributed and disrupted practice, will aid development of future strategies to reduce inappropriate ADT prescribing in current and future resource-limited settings.
We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with urologists practicing in Italy and the UK from February to July 2022. Interviews focussed on undisrupted (usual) practice and disrupted practice (changes made during COVID-19 restrictions). Codes were generated inductively and were mapped to the 14 domains of the Theoretical Domains Framework. Relevant domains of influence were identified, and the similarities and differences between the UK and Italy were distinguished.
We identified 10 domains that were influential to ADT prescribing in the UK and eight in Italy. The role of guidance and evidence, the cancer care setting, the patients and the urologist's beliefs and experiences were identified as areas that were influential to ADT prescribing before surgery. Twenty-one similarities and 22 differences between the UK and Italy, for usual and COVID-19 practice, were identified across these 10 domains.
Similarities and differences influencing ADT prescribing prior to surgery should be considered in behavioural strategy development and tailoring to reduce inappropriate ADT use. We gained an understanding of usual, undistributed care and resource-limited or disrupted care due to COVID-19 in two European countries. This gives an indication of how influences on ADT prescribing may change in future resource-limited circumstances and where efforts can be focused now and in future.
BJUI compass. 2024 Jul 14*** epublish ***
Jennifer Dunsmore, Eilidh Duncan, Sara J MacLennan, James N'Dow, Philip Cornford, Francesco Esperto, Nicola Pavan, María J Ribal, Monique J Roobol, Ted A Skolarus, Steven MacLennan
Academic Urology Unit University of Aberdeen Aberdeen UK., Health Service Research Unit University of Aberdeen Aberdeen UK., Liverpool University Hospitals Liverpool UK., Department of Urology Campus Biomedico University of Rome Rome Italy., Urology Section, Department of Surgical, Oncological and Stomatological Sciences University of Palermo Palermo Italy., Uro-Oncology Unit, Hospital Clinic University of Barcelona Barcelona Spain., Department of Surgery, Urology Section Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Cancer Institute Rotterdam The Netherlands., VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System Ann Arbor Michigan USA.