Priority Setting Partnership for Research in Delirium Prevention and Care in Adults

Delirium is a sudden change to a person’s mental state that can be related to the effects of illness, injury, having surgery, medicines, or withdrawal from drugs or alcohol. This serious medical condition is still under-recognised in health care. Unlike dementia which develops slowly and is irreversible, delirium develops quickly over hours or days. It is often reversible but can last days, weeks or even months. Delirium is more common in older people, people with existing dementia, and people with severe illness, but it can affect anyone. There is no effective drug treatment except finding and treating the underlying cause, and research on management is limited. 
 

This study follows the James Lind Alliance (JLA) Priority Setting Partnership (PSP) process. The JLA is a non-profit making initiative based at the University of Southampton, bringing patients, carers, and clinicians together in a partnership using transparent, systematic, and comprehensive methods. These PSPs identify and prioritise the evidence uncertainties, or ‘unanswered questions’, that they agree are the most important for research in their topic area. The scope of the PSP will be on delirium prevention and care in adult in the community and in the healthcare setting within Australia and New Zealand. 

People who meet the following criteria may be eligible to participate: 

• aged ≥18 years
• have had delirium or who have cared for someone with delirium, e.g. family members or clinicians
• have health conditions that increase the risk of delirium (e.g. people living with frailty or dementia, cancer), and carers or their family members.
• live in Australia or New Zealand 

Follow the link to complete the Delirium Research Priorities survey.