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Negotiating medications: patient perceptions of long-term medication use
P C Carder1, N Vuckovic, C A Green
1Center for Aging Studies, Department of Sociology & Anthropology, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA. carder@umbc.edu
Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics
|November 25, 2003
Summary
Patients with chronic illnesses negotiate their medication needs through internal and external struggles, impacting their self-identity and treatment adherence. Understanding this negotiation is key for healthcare providers.
Area of Science:
- Medical Sociology
- Patient Experience Research
- Qualitative Health Research
Background:
- Chronic illnesses significantly impact patients' lives, necessitating long-term medication management.
- Understanding patient perceptions of medication necessity is crucial for effective treatment adherence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore how adults with chronic conditions perceive their need for ongoing medication.
- To investigate the negotiation processes involved in medication adherence for individuals with chronic illnesses.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative study involving 83 adults (aged 18-64) with chronic illnesses.
- Ethnographic interviews analyzed using grounded theory techniques.
Main Results:
- Patients engage in internal negotiations (self-identity, dependence fears) and external negotiations (with healthcare providers) regarding medication.
- Both acceptance and resistance to medication are dimensions of this negotiation process.
- Managing drug regimens requires renegotiating self-identity from 'formerly well' to a person with a chronic condition.
Conclusions:
- Healthcare providers should acknowledge patients' emotional responses to medications, not just physical side effects.
- Patient resistance to medication may represent an ongoing negotiation rather than a definitive refusal.
- Recognizing the dynamic negotiation process can improve patient-provider communication and treatment outcomes.