RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Enhancing shared decision making about discontinuation of antidepressant medication: a concept-mapping study in primary and secondary mental health care JF British Journal of General Practice JO Br J Gen Pract FD British Journal of General Practice SP e777 OP e785 DO 10.3399/bjgp19X706001 VO 69 IS 688 A1 Carolien Wentink A1 Marloes J Huijbers A1 Peter LBJ Lucassen A1 Annoek van der Gouw A1 Cornelis Kramers A1 Jan Spijker A1 Anne EM Speckens YR 2019 UL http://bjgp.org/content/69/688/e777.abstract AB Background The apparent rise of antidepressant use seems to be explained to a large extent by an increase in long-term use. Both professionals and patients appear reluctant to discontinue antidepressant medication (ADM). It is not known what factors determine this reluctance.Aim This study aimed to identify factors that enable the shared decision-making process about discontinuation of ADM between long-term users and their GPs.Design and setting Concept-mapping study of a purposive sample of both patients and professionals from primary and secondary mental health care in the Netherlands.Method Concept mapping was used to conceptualise and structure the topics relevant to the discontinuation process from the perspective of both patients and professionals. Participants generated topics in brainstorming sessions and subsequently prioritised and sorted them. Multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analyses were used for the cluster topics.Results Thirty-seven patients and 27 professionals generated 50 separate topics. Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed six clusters of topics: ‘Process of discontinuation’, ‘Expectations’, ‘Professional guidance’, ‘Current use’, ‘Environment’, and ‘Side effects’. Patients and professionals came up with largely similar topics. Nevertheless, a difference was found between these groups regarding the perceived importance of professional guidance.Conclusion This study yielded an informed selection of the topics that seem most important to discuss when considering whether to discontinue ADM. As perspectives of both patients and professionals were combined, the topics may provide patients and GPs with a broader and more balanced scope of factors to consider, and thus facilitate a better shared decision-making process.