Beliefs about prescription medications among patients with diabetes: variation across racial groups and influences on cost-related medication underuse.

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to understand differences across racial groups in diabetes patients' medication-related beliefs and adherence problems due to cost concerns.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We surveyed 806 African American and White diabetes patients about their beliefs regarding medications, cost-related adherence problems, socioeconomic status and communication about treatments with their clinicians.

RESULTS

Many patients endorsed statements such as "Most prescription medications are addictive" (35%) and "Insurance plans push generics to save themselves money at the expense of my health" (65%). African Americans expressed more negative attitudes than White patients and were more likely than White patients to report cost-related medication underuse (19% versus 13%; p5.02). Medication-related attitudes did not explain the higher rates of cost-related medication underuse among Black patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Many diabetes patients have negative beliefs about their medications. Other unknown factors however, explain higher rates of cost-related adherence problems among African American compared with White patients.