GPs' recognition of, and response to, influences on patients' medicine taking: the implications for communication

Citation
Fa. Stevenson et al., GPs' recognition of, and response to, influences on patients' medicine taking: the implications for communication, FAM PRACT, 17(2), 2000, pp. 119-123
Citations number
6
Categorie Soggetti
General & Internal Medicine
Journal title
FAMILY PRACTICE
ISSN journal
02632136 → ACNP
Volume
17
Issue
2
Year of publication
2000
Pages
119 - 123
Database
ISI
SICI code
0263-2136(200004)17:2<119:GROART>2.0.ZU;2-E
Abstract
Background. Research evidence suggests that patients' beliefs about medicin es influence medicine taking. Therefore, it is important that GPs are able to both identify and take account of such beliefs in the consultation. Objectives. The purpose of this study was to explore GPs' awareness of asth ma patients' beliefs about medicine, and of the ways in which friends and f amily, television programmes and the Campaign for Asthma may influence thes e beliefs. We also wanted to consider how GPs believe they would feel, and their likely behaviour, when a patient refers to these influences in the co nsultation. Method. Four events, drawn from 17 semi-structured interviews previously co nducted with patients recently prescribed oral steroids (prednisolone), wer e used to compose a narrative account of a hypothetical patient's behaviour . The narrative described a series of scenarios to which GPs were asked to respond. It was sent to all GPs in Derbyshire (n = 476). Results. The response rate was 69%. Half judged that the scenarios which pr esented the patients' beliefs about medicine, the influence of friends and family and the television were not 'realistic'. GPs also reported feeling m ore 'supportive' and 'sympathetic' towards the Campaign for Asthma as a sou rce of patient information than they were towards opinions based on advice given by patients' family and friends. Conclusion. Developing 'common ground' in the consultation will be problema tic if GPs are not aware of, and sym pathetic towards, the ways in wh ich p atients use information from a range of sources to formulate beliefs that t hen affect their medicine-taking behaviour. GPs should be encouraged to ope n up their discussions with patients so as to encourage the development of a partnership in which each party is aware of, and respects, the other's po int of view.