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
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.