Experiences and perceptions of health care professionals making treatment decisions for older adults with memory loss: a qualitative systematic review protocol.

Objective: The objective of this review is to critically analyze and synthesize the experiences and perceptions of health care professionals making decisions that result in treatment recommendations for older adults living with memory loss who are experiencing health problems.

Introduction: Health care professionals provide care to older adults living with memory loss and other coexisting health conditions across all clinical settings. Older adults living with memory loss most commonly experience impaired independent decision-making, which can challenge health care professionals when decisions about treatment need to be made. These challenges contribute to older adults with memory loss receiving inappropriate treatment and experiencing higher morbidity than those without memory loss. To date, existing reviews have not focused on the experiences and perceptions of health care professionals who are making treatment decisions when older adults living with memory loss experience health problems. A deeper exploration of this evidence is needed to understand health care professionals' experiences and perceptions of treatment decision-making to support the goal of improving care for older adults.

Inclusion Criteria: This systematic review will consider studies across all clinical settings focused on the experiences and perceptions of health care professionals making treatment decisions for older adults with memory loss who are experiencing health problems.

Methods: We will conduct a comprehensive systematic search using CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. Two reviewers will independently appraise the selected studies and extract qualitative data using the recommended JBI method for study selection, critical appraisal, data extraction, and data synthesis. The ConQual approach will be applied to provide a level of confidence for the review findings.

Systematic Review Registration Number: PROSPERO CRD42021271485.