Subjective health, general medicine beliefs and social desirability response among older hospital outpatients in Hong Kong.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate any association between self-rated health (SRH) and general perception about medicines using the Beliefs About Medicine Questionnaire-General (BMQ-G) in Hong Kong hospital outpatients. Moreover, the study aims to demonstrate any association between social desirability bias or response (SDR) and BMQ-G, SRH reporting in this population. METHODS: Seven hundred and sixty-nine outpatients, who satisfied the selection criteria, were cordially invited to participate in this study by completing a combined questionnaire of demographic information, BMQ-G, SRH and SDR Set-5 in person, while waiting to collect their medications outside a Hong Kong hospital pharmacy. Results were analysed statistically. KEY FINDINGS: The number of valid questionnaires returned for statistical analysis was 698. Logistic regressions indicated age groups, gender and SRH were significant predictors for BMQ-G reporting. Patients aged over 62, male or those with high SRH were less likely to present high BMQ-G scores, compared to patients aged under 45, female or those with low SRH, respectively (OR 0.43, 0.73 and 0.66, respectively, all CIs 95%). Logistic regressions also demonstrated overall BMQ-G, and SRH reporting was unlikely to be associated with SDR (all P > 0.05) although age was a significant predictor for SDR reporting (OR = 1.10; CI 95%). CONCLUSIONS: This study illustrated age groups, gender and self-rated health significantly associated with general medicine beliefs reporting. The possible association between socially desirable bias and general medicine beliefs or self-rated health reporting was insignificant.

Self-rated health and medicine beliefs among older hospital outpatients in Hong Kong.

OBJECTIVES: (1) To identify any demographic characteristics, which predict medicines adherence by reporting Necessity-Concern Differential (NCD) and Self-Reported Health (SRH) scores among Hong Kong hospital outpatients. (ii) To investigate any association between SRH and NCD in this cultural group. METHODS: A total of 709 outpatients completed a questionnaire consisting demographic information, SRH and Belief about Medicines Questionnaire. Findings were analysed statistically. KEY FINDINGS: Descriptive statistics suggested that older participants (mean age > 64 years) tended to report low SRH, but high NCD compared to younger respondents (mean age < 53 years). Males were more likely to return high SRH and NCD scores than females (56.9 versus 42.2% and 74.8 versus 64.6%, respectively). Chi-squared tests demonstrated that socio-economic status was not significantly associated with SRH and NCD reporting (P > 0.05). Logistic regressions indicated gender and age groups (young-old and old-old) were significant predictors of SRH reporting (P < 0.001). Moreover, patients with high SRH were more likely to report high NCD than those with low SRH (P = 0.02; OR = 1.53; 95%CI 1.07-2.20). This indicates that regular administration of the SRH item followed by specific questioning could enhance early identification of potential medicine non-believers and, subsequently, non-adherent patients who may require urgent interventions or monitoring. CONCLUSIONS: Demographic characteristics and significant association between SRH and NCD reporting support our claim that SRH opens new opportunities for prompt identification of potentially non-adherent patients. However, further interviews to determine the cause(s) of non-adherence are necessary to validate such findings.

Beliefs about medicines among Hong Kong hospital outpatients.

OBJECTIVES: (1) To identify demographic characteristics associated with different patients' belief attitudes among older Hong Kong hospital outpatients. (2) To identify important implementation criteria for developing a more effective adherence-improving intervention. METHODS: Six hundred and ninety-eight patients completed a questionnaire consisting of demographic information and Belief about Medicines Questionnaire. Findings were statistically analysed. KEY FINDINGS: Among respondents, 56.9% were either in the hesitant (Mixed-feelings and Indifferent) or negative (Distrustful) medication belief constructs. The majority of these patients were younger females, with better education, taking fewer regular medications and for shorter duration. Rheumatoid and gout accounted for 46.1% of cases in the Distrustful construct, while cardiovascular and diabetic conditions accounted for 63.8% of cases in the positive (In-favour) construct. Patients' concerns about medications were reaffirmed to be a predominant factor affecting medication beliefs. The mean Necessity-Concern Differential scores in the two hesitant constructs illustrated that patients within these two constructs were more pliant towards medicines and, therefore, were predicted to be more subject to modification. CONCLUSIONS: Our results identified the demographic characteristics of patients with negative or hesitant belief attitudes about medicines. In order to effectively achieve improvement in long-term beliefs about medications, the design of interventions should target positively modifying belief attitudes in these two patient groups. Furthermore, addressing patients' concern about their medicines was reaffirmed to be an important criterion for researchers to focus on when designing effective interventions in the future.