Medication-taking for coronary artery disease - patients' perspectives

Barriers and facilitators of micronutrient supplementation among non-pregnant women of reproductive age in Johannesburg, South Africa

The prevalence of anaemia among South African women of reproductive age (WRA) remains high at 39%. Multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) may be an effective strategy in the prevention and management of anaemia. Our aim was to understand facilitators and barriers to preconception MMS adherence and to explore perceptions and beliefs of MMS in the prevention and treatment of anaemia among non-pregnant WRA. This qualitative study was embedded in a preconception MMS intervention trial of WRA and was conducted in two phases. Phase one assessed the barriers and facilitators of MMS adherence. Individual interviews were conducted with the community health workers (n = 7) administering MMS, and with non-pregnant WRA (n = 25) participating in the trial. Phase two included four focus groups with participating WRA (n = 26), which further explored participants' perceptions and beliefs of MMS provision and adherence, and strategies to improve adherence. The reported facilitators to supplementation were family support, interaction with the community health workers, easy access to MMS, and experienced benefits of MMS. Barriers to preconception supplementation included the lack of family support, the link of supplements to antenatal care, and the perceived lack of benefits of MMS. Participants reported negative associations of supplements with medication, individual and societal stigma around medication and challenges around the supplementation schedule. For successful preconception MMS interventions, young women, their families, and communities need to be convinced of the value of supplementation. Public health interventions utilising preconception supplementation will require specialised training for health care providers, targeted counselling materials and community household support.

Factors that influence adherence to treatment plans amongst people living with cardiovascular disease: A review of published qualitative research studies

BACKGROUND

Treatment plan adherence is recognized as a worldwide health issue, particularly important in the management of cardiovascular patients. Healthcare professionals are the primary sources of information and support for people diagnosed with CVD and those who have experienced a cardiac event, yet we know little about how healthcare professionals contribute to the process of adherence to treatment plans that aim to prevent and/or reduce disease and adverse events. Qualitative evidence that explores factors that influence adherence to treatment plans is limited.

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review identified and synthesised the best available evidence on factors that influence adherence to treatment plans amongst people living with cardiovascular disease.

DESIGN

Systematic review and qualitative synthesis.

METHODS

Data were collected from Medline, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Embase- Non-Medline, Scopus, Cochrane Library, ProQuest Central (Grey Literature). Pre-defined keywords and MeSH terms were used to identify qualitative methods English-language studies published between 2001 and 2018. Quality appraisal of each paper was completed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist and two reviewers extracted the data independently.

RESULTS

Twenty-two articles were included. Eight key themes were identified that related to facilitators and barriers to adherence to treatment plans. Facilitators were identified as engaging in exercise, having support and mentorship, lifestyle modification, and the perceived value of taking medication. Barriers were identified as a perceived lack of support, concerns about taking medication, and lack of engagement in exercise and lifestyle changes.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings highlight the factors that support adherence and healthcare professionals can build on also the areas that can be targeted to support and improve adherence to treatment plans. Nurses can play an important role in enhancing the provision of information pre hospital discharge and support in the community on taking medication, the value of physical activity and dietary changes.

Trivial or Troublesome: Experience with Coronary Heart Disease Medication from the Patient's Perspective

BACKGROUND

Living with coronary heart disease (CHD) usually means being prescribed several medications to help prevent new cardiac events. Using medicines for long-term conditions impacts on day-to-day life, and coping with medicines can be burdensome and can affect the quality of life. To enable better support of these patients, we need to understand their collective medicine-related experience.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to describe patients' medicine-related experience 1 year after the diagnosis of CHD.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A qualitative, descriptive study using semi-structured interviews was conducted in 19 patients in their homes or at Linnaeus University, Sweden. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach was used.

RESULTS

Patients' experiences with using their medicines after diagnosis of CHD differed considerably. Some patients found handling the medicines and administering their treatment very easy, natural and straightforward, while others found that it was distressing or troublesome, and influenced their lives extensively. There was a varied sense of personal responsibility about the treatment and use of medicines. The patients' experiences were classified into one of seven categories: a sense of security, unproblematic, learning to live with it, taking responsibility for it, somewhat uncertain, troublesome, or distressing. Participants in the study who expressed an unproblematic view of medicine taking also often revealed that they had dilemmas or uncertainties.

CONCLUSION

Patients' medicine-related experiences after CHD vary greatly. The findings of this study highlight a need for more individualized support for patients using medicines for secondary prevention. The patients often needed better dialogue with healthcare providers to optimally manage their medicines. Medicine-related support for these patients should encompass various aspects of medicine-taking.

Patient beliefs and attitudes to taking statins: systematic review of qualitative studies

BACKGROUND

Statins are effective in preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and are recommended for at-risk individuals but estimated adherence rates are low.

AIM

To describe patients' perspectives, experiences, and attitudes towards taking statins.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Systematic review of qualitative studies reporting perspectives of patients on statins.

METHOD

PsycINFO, CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, and PhD dissertations from inception to 6 October 2016 were searched for qualitative studies on adult patients' perspectives on statins. All text and participant quotations were extracted from each article and analysed by thematic synthesis.

RESULTS

Thirty-two studies involving 888 participants aged 22-93 years across eight countries were included. Seven themes were identified: confidence in prevention (trust in efficacy, minimising long-term catastrophic CVD, taking control, easing anxiety about high cholesterol); routinising into daily life; questioning utility (imperceptible benefits, uncertainties about pharmacological mechanisms); medical distrust (scepticism about overprescribing, pressure to start therapy); threatening health (competing priorities and risks, debilitating side effects, toxicity to body); signifying sickness (fear of perpetual dependence, losing the battle); and financial strain.

CONCLUSION

An expectation that statins could prevent CVD and being able to integrate the statin regimen in daily life facilitated acceptance of statins among patients. However, avoiding the 'sick' identity and prolonged dependence on medications, uncertainties about the pharmacological mechanisms, risks to health, side effects, costs, and scepticism about clinicians' motives for prescribing statins were barriers to uptake. Shared decision making that addresses the risks, reasons for prescribing, patient priorities, and implementing strategies to minimise lifestyle intrusion and manage side effects may improve patient satisfaction and continuation of statins.

Adherence to coronary artery disease secondary prevention medicines: exploring modifiable barriers

Background

Non-adherence to secondary prevention medicines (SPMs) among patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) remains a challenge in clinical practice. This study attempted to identify actual and potential modifiable barriers to adherence that can be addressed in cardiology clinical practice.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional, postal survey-based study of the medicines-taking experience of patients with CAD treated at a secondary/tertiary care centre. All participants had been on SPM for ≥3 months.

Results

In total, 696 eligible patients were sent the survey and 503 responded (72.3%). The median age was 70 years, and 403 (80.1%) were male; the median number of individual daily doses of all medicines was 6. The rate of non-adherence to at least one SPM was 43.5% (n=219), but 53.3% of reported non-adherence was to only one SPM. Statins contributed to 66.7% and aspirin to 61.7% of overall non-adherence identified by the Single Question (SQ) tool. In 30.8% of non-adherent patients (n=65), this was at least partly intentional. Barriers included forgetfulness (84.9%; n=186), worry that medicines will do more harm than good (33.8%; n=74), feeling hassled about medicines taking (18.7%; n=41), feeling worse when taking medicines (14.2%; n=31) and not being convinced of the benefit of medicines (9.1%; n=20). In a multivariate analysis, modifiable factors associated with overall non-adherence included being prescribed aspirin (OR: 2.22; 95% CI: 1.18 to 4.17), having specific concern about SPM (OR: 1.12; 95% CI: 1.07 to 1.18) and issues with repeat prescriptions (OR: 2.48; 95% CI: 1.26 to 4.90). Different factors were often associated with intentional versus unintentional non-adherence.

Conclusions

Using appropriate self-report tools, patients share actual and potential modifiable barriers to adherence that can be addressed in clinical practice. Non-adherence behaviour was selective. Most non-adherence was driven by forgetfulness, concern about the harm caused by SPM and practical barriers.

Medication-related burden and patients' lived experience with medicine: a systematic review and metasynthesis of qualitative studies

OBJECTIVE

To explore medication-related burden (MRB) and patients' lived experience with medicines (PLEM) without regard to particular medication therapies or medical conditions.

DESIGN

Systematic review and metasynthesis of qualitative studies.

DATA SOURCES

MEDLINE, EMBASE, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, PsycINFO, Global health, CINAHL and Web of Science were searched from January 2000 to August 2014 using medication burden and patients' lived experience terms.

SYNTHESIS METHODS

Synthesis was undertaken following metaethnography methods and a comparative thematic analysis technique.

RESULTS

34 articles from 12 countries with a total of 1144 participants were included. 3 major inter-related themes emerged central to PLEM: MRB, medication related beliefs and medication taking practice. The negative impact of MRB, due to its interference on patients' daily lives and effects on well-being, its influence on patients' beliefs and behaviours, and a potential risk for drug-related problems (DRPs) was evident. This resulted in non-adherence and poorer outcomes (unachieved therapeutic goals and damage to patients' health). Patients who experienced MRB interference in their life over time begin to juggle their medicines. Others continue their medicines despite experiencing MRB resulting in compromised physical, social or psychological well-being.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a shared commonality of PLEM among the studies. MRB plays a central role in influencing patients' health and well-being, beliefs and behaviour towards medicines. Given the complexity of MRB and its impact evident from this review, there is a need for healthcare practitioners to have insight into PLEM in therapeutic care plans. Understanding PLEM is an opportunity for practitioners to identify particular MRBs that patients encounter, and provide individualised care through selection of therapeutic care plans that suit a patient's life. This may assist in helping to achieve patients' medication-related needs, and improve medication therapy and health outcomes.

Perspectives of patients on factors relating to adherence to post-acute coronary syndrome medical regimens

PURPOSE

Poor adherence to cardioprotective medications after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) hospitalization is associated with increased risk of rehospitalization and mortality. Clinical trials of multifaceted interventions have improved medication adherence with varying results. Patients' perspectives on interventions could help researchers interpret inconsistent outcomes. Identifying factors that patients believe would improve adherence might inform the design of future interventions and make them more parsimonious and sustainable. The objective of this study was to obtain patients' perspectives on adherence to medical regimens after experiencing an ACS event and their participation in a medication adherence randomized control trial following their hospitalization.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Sixty-four in-depth interviews were conducted with ACS patients who participated in an efficacious, multifaceted, medication adherence randomized control trial. Interview transcripts were analyzed using the constant comparative approach.

RESULTS

Participants described their post-ACS event experiences and how they affected their adherence behaviors. Patients reported that adherence decisions were facilitated by mutually respectful and collaborative provider-patient treatment planning. Frequent interactions with providers and medication refill reminder calls supported improved adherence. Additional facilitators included having social support, adherence routines, and positive attitudes toward an ACS event. The majority of patients expressed that being active participants in health care decision-making contributed to their health.

CONCLUSION

Our findings demonstrate that respectful collaborative communication can contribute to medication adherence after ACS hospitalization. These results suggest a potential role for training health-care providers, including pharmacists, social workers, registered nurses, etc, to elicit and acknowledge the patients' views regarding medication treatment in order to improve adherence. Future research is needed with providers to understand how they elicit and acknowledge patients' views, particularly in the face of nonadherence, and with patients to understand how to empower them to share their opinions with their providers.

Knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of patients and carers regarding medication adherence: a review of qualitative literature

PURPOSE

The aim of this review is to cohere evidence on the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of patients and carers regarding medication adherence. Medication adherence refers to "the extent to which the patient's action matches the agreed recommendations". Medication adherence is vital in preventing, managing and curing illnesses and, hence, is linked with positive health outcomes.

METHODS

A search was conducted using the following databases: CINAHL, Embase, PubMed and Web of Knowledge from inception to November 2013. Titles and abstracts were screened for inclusion in the review according to pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Studies were assessed for quality, and data were extracted into a data extraction form. Results were analysed thematically.

RESULTS

The final results included 34 articles. Eight analytical themes were identified: (i) beliefs and experiences of medicines, (ii) family support and culture, (iii) role of and relationship with health-care practitioners, (iv) factors related to the disease, (v) self-regulation, (vi) communication, (vii) cost and (viii) access. The theme, "beliefs and experiences of medicines", was present in 33 studies, with many discussing the influence that side effects have on medication adherence.

CONCLUSIONS

There are a number of variables that impact upon the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of patients and carers regarding medication adherence. This review presents an overview of the analytical themes which offers the opportunity to examine interventions and their relative efficacies to increase medication adherence.

Pharmaceutical care of older people: what do older people want from community pharmacy?

OBJECTIVES

To explore older people's opinions of current community pharmacy provision and identify potential areas for improvement.

METHODS

A pilot focus group was conducted to finalise the topic areas for discussion. Three focus groups and three small group interviews were held with a total of 25 people aged over 65 years. A purposive sampling approach was used to maximise variation in likely responses. All focus group discussions were transcribed and analysed for emerging themes. Data collection continued until saturation was reached. Finally, the themes were taken to a further five community groups to discuss and confirm the findings.

KEY FINDINGS

Two main interlinked themes emerged around 'personal and relational factors' and 'service factors'. The participants valued continuity of personalised pharmaceutical care and described receiving this care in small community pharmacies. The ability to build a trusting relationship over time was important to the people in this study. There was a lack of awareness of services already available from community pharmacies. Ongoing disruption in the supply of medicines caused problems for this client group, and the complexity of prescription ordering, collection and delivery systems presented challenges for participants. Good communication from the community pharmacy helped to improve the experience.

CONCLUSION

This study contributes some qualitative data on the opinions of older people about community pharmacies. There may be planning implications for the size of future community pharmacies and the range of services provided. Community pharmacies may need to take a more proactive role in promoting innovative services to older people who may benefit from these services.

Medication taking in coronary artery disease: a systematic review and qualitative synthesis

PURPOSE

Despite the compelling evidence supporting cardiovascular medications in the secondary prevention of coronary artery disease, many patients discontinue treatment. In this synthesis, we sought to understand from a patient perspective the factors that promote medication persistence.

METHODS

We systematically searched 7 databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, SCOPUS, CINAHL, ASSIA, and SSCI) for published qualitative research about the medication-taking experiences of patients with coronary artery disease and their partners. Articles were assessed for quality using a modified CASP (Critical Appraisal Skills Programme) checklist. Synthesis was undertaken using well-established meta-ethnographic approaches.

RESULTS

We included 17 articles in the final synthesis from the United Kingdom (6), Europe (5), United States (4), China (1), and Australia (1), with a total sample size of 391 patients. Analyses suggested that some patients hold fatalistic beliefs about their disease, whereas others believe they have been cured by interventions; both can lead to failure to take medication. Patients who adapt to being a "heart patient" are positive about medication taking. Some individuals dislike taking tablets generally and are wary of long-term effects. Relationships with prescribing clinicians are of critical importance for patients, with inaccessibility and insensitive terminology negatively affecting patients' perceptions about treatments.

CONCLUSIONS

Strategies to promote higher persistence of secondary prevention medications in patients with coronary artery disease need to recognize the key role of the prescribing clinician. Providing medication-specific information at the time of initiating therapy, improving the transition between secondary and primary care, and explaining the risk of disease recurrence may all help to modify patient attitudes toward drugs to prevent further cardiovascular disease.

Patient-specific factors relating to medication adherence in a post-percutaneous coronary intervention cohort

OBJECTIVE

To explore the association between medication adherence and qualitatively characterised patient-specific themes relating to medication adherence in patients following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

METHODS

Data-collection questionnaires and qualitative topic guides were piloted in two patients. A validated questionnaire generated an adherence score for a convenience sample of 20 patients within 7 days of PCI. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were subsequently carried out with all patients to explore patient-specific themes relating to measured medication adherence.

KEY FINDINGS

Fourteen out of 20 patients (70%) had scores indicative of good adherence. Key factors associated with good adherence included having a good relationship with the doctor, having an understanding of the condition, knowledge of the indications and consequences of non-adherence, perceived health benefits and medications eliciting tangible symptom control. There were misconceptions of concern regarding adverse drug reactions and the importance of aspirin, both of which had a negative effect on adherence. The role of the community pharmacist was sometimes, although not always, misunderstood.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests there is an association between patients' beliefs, knowledge, understanding and misconceptions about medication and their adherence in a post-PCI cohort. To optimise medication adherence it is vital for prescribers to remain patient-focused and cognisant of patient-specific themes relating to medication adherence.

Clinician-patient discord: exploring differences in perspectives for discontinuing clopidogrel

BACKGROUND

Premature stopping of anti-platelet therapy has potentially fatal consequences for myocardial infarction (MI) patients who have received a drug-eluting stent (DES). Exploring multiple perspectives to identify contributing factors to the problem is essential.

AIM

We gained patient and clinician perspectives as to why MI patients prematurely stop anti-platelet therapy (clopidogrel) after DES implantation.

METHODS

This qualitative, descriptive study of DES-treated MI patients (n=22) and of clinicians (physicians and nurse practitioners; n=17) from multiple U.S. cities used content analysis of interview data. Findings across patients and clinicians were then compared to examine congruent and contrasting reasons for premature clopidogrel discontinuance.

FINDINGS

Patients frequently identified communication and education (e.g. unaware they should be taking clopidogrel, unaware of intended duration of therapy) as the primary reasons for having stopped. Patients rarely cited cost, while clinicians most commonly cited cost as a reason for premature stopping.

CONCLUSIONS

The discrepancy in perceptions of patients and clinicians as to the primary reason for early discontinuance suggests an important opportunity for improving persistence. Rather than focusing on the high costs of medications, something outside of their control, physicians should consider communicating more effectively the importance and intended duration of clopidogrel to their patients.

Patient perspectives on fluid management in chronic hemodialysis

OBJECTIVE

We sought to describe the perspectives and experiences of chronic hemodialysis (CHD) patients regarding self-care and adherence to fluid restrictions.

DESIGN

Semistructured focus groups.

SETTING

Two outpatient hemodialysis centers.

PARTICIPANTS

Nineteen patients on chronic hemodialysis.

INTERVENTION

Patients were asked a series of open-ended questions to encourage discussion about the management of fluid restriction within the broad categories of general knowledge, knowledge sources or barriers, beliefs and attitudes, self-efficacy, emotion, and self-care skills.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

We analyzed session transcripts using the theoretical framework of content analysis to identify themes generated by the patients.

RESULTS

Patients discussed both facilitators and barriers to fluid restriction, which we categorized into six themes: knowledge, self-assessment, psychological factors, social, physical, and environmental. Psychological factors were the most common barriers to fluid restriction adherence, predominantly involving lack of motivation. Knowledge was the most discussed facilitator with accurate self-assessment, positive psychological factors, and supportive social contacts also playing a role. Dialysis providers were most commonly described as the source of dialysis information (54%), but learning through personal experience was also frequently noted (28%).

CONCLUSION

Interventions to improve fluid restriction adherence of chronic hemodialysis patients should target motivational issues, assess and improve patient knowledge, augment social support, and facilitate accurate self-assessment of fluid status.