Why don't some patients take their medicines? Lack of trust is main reason

[HuckleB]

Why don't some patients take their medicines? Lack of trust is main reason

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=28859

"09 Aug 2005

Patients who trust their doctors are more likely to stick to their prescription medicines, even if they face high out-of-pocket costs, a new study finds. But patients who have lower levels of trust in their physicians, or who have depression-like symptoms, are much more likely to skip doses or refills when costs become a problem for them.

Those findings, from a new study of 912 patients with diabetes, provide evidence that the quality of the doctor-patient relationship can greatly affect patients' medication use when drug costs become a burden. The study reinforces the importance of the doctor-patient relationship in helping patients adhere to medicines, and has implications for how doctors talk with patients -- not only about what a medicine will do for them, but also about their ability to pay for it and the availability of lower-cost options.

The research, from a team at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare Center and the University of Michigan, will be published in the August 8/22 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. The data are from a larger VA-funded study of diabetes care at five health care systems around the nation.

Most of the patients in the study were men, half of them were over the age of 65, and the majority had household incomes under $25,000 a year. All patients were enrolled in the VA's relatively generous prescription drug program, but a significant number reported cost-related problems in adhering to their medications.

..."

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. Well DUH...that and the physician taking time to educate the patient

are the main factors in patient compliance. If a patient does not understand the nature of their illness i.e. diabetes or hypertension, they will not think to take meds since both diseases largely have few symptoms until the symptoms are catastrophic.

[LynzM]

5. Second that one, NSMA

I was going to post that... I work on clinical trials for diabetes and see TONS of non-compliance (in addition to being diabetic, myself). Much of it is due to patient lack of understanding. Diabetes, especially, needs corresponding education to be managed effectively, and often that is not done well :(

[HuckleB]

6. True, but lack of time can't be blamed solely upon physicians.

The constant shrinking of appointment time alloted by insurance companies has much to do with it, as well.

[davsand]

2. If you don't trust your Doc why WOULD you follow their advice?

I realize a lot of folks don't have any choice about what Doc they see-so I'm not suggesting it is as simple as switching Docs, but I can't say I'm shocked that people don't follow advice from somebody they don't trust.

I also gotta say I really distrust the Drug Companies way more than the Docs, and THAT makes me less inclined to use a lot of the stuff that passes for modern meds. Seems to me they have covered up a lot of issues with drugs.


Laura

[zalinda]

3. And because doctors just keep

writing more and more prescriptions to ease symptoms, instead of finding the cause of those symptoms. My doctor would have me on 5 different medications taken every day. Some of these I will take until I can find a way to get off of them. But she also wanted me on anti-depressives, which I didn't need. I have been afraid to start taking meds again as it always seems that once you do, you have to take more and more until you walk around in a haze.

zalinda

[ray of light]

4. well, if you don't have insurance you can't afford what they prescribe

I got an 85 dollar prescription and the pharmacist said they could fill it with generic for 13. So he called the doctor back and 2 days later she gave permission for the generic.

No insurance sucks!

Progressives let's make National Health Care a priority.

Let them be the Halliburton Funders and we'll be the Peoples' party!

[bemildred]

7. Often the patient is right. nt

[mopinko]

8. you got that

i just fired my doctor of 7 years. there were a lot of reasons, but one was the constant presence of drug reps in the office, and the constant pushing of drug samples. i don't trust any new drugs, and wouldn't take them unless it was really a matter of life and death.

[bemildred]

10. Yes, exactly.

I never visit a doctor except for acute conditions.
I never take any Rx at face value, always research the drug myself,
almost always conclude I don't want anything to do with it.

[pitohui]

9. in my household cost is the main reason

every time i have quietly not filled my RX it is because of cost, not trust issues


i can see where trust might be more of an issue w. over 65s who are getting assistance w. their RXs

but i bet w. slightly younger folk it is cost issues that are #1 cause of non-compliance