Do patients and family carers have different concerns about the use of medicines compared with healthcare professionals? A quantitative secondary analysis of healthcare concerns relating to adults with complex needs.

OBJECTIVE

To identify concerns related to the use of medicines for adults with complex needs and explore whether these differed between healthcare professionals and patients/carers, in order to inform development of interventions to increase medication adherence.

METHODS

A quantitative secondary analysis of a database of healthcare professionals' and patients'/carers' healthcare concerns, related to adults with complex needs. Categories of concerns related to medicines use were identified and concerns related to medication use coded against these. Data were analysed descriptively, and a Chi-square test conducted to test for differences in responses from healthcare professionals versus patients/carers.

RESULTS

There was a significant difference in the types of medication concern raised by healthcare professionals versus those raised by patients/carers. Patients/carers expressed more concerns about side effects and interactions; healthcare professionals identified more concerns related to patient support and carers' knowledge/training.

CONCLUSION

Healthcare professionals had significantly different concerns about medicines to patients; this may be a potential barrier to medication adherence.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Healthcare professionals may need to adopt an approach to non-adherence that goes beyond education and counselling and adopts a wider patient perspective. Findings suggest that a greater focus on addressing side effects and interactions may be beneficial in increasing medication adherence.