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Abstract
Objectives To investigate the factors contributing to medicine-related problems (MRPs) among patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and/or diabetes in Saudi Arabia.
Design Qualitative semistructured interviews were conducted. Interviews were audio recorded then transcribed into Microsoft Word. The transcribed interviews were then imported into the qualitative analysis software NVivo where thematic analysis was applied. Thematic synthesis was achieved by coding and developing subthemes/themes from the findings of the interviews.
Setting Five healthcare centres in Najran, Saudi Arabia.
Participants 25 adult patients with diabetes and/or CVDs.
Results The study cohort included 16 men and 9 women with a median age of 61.8 years (40–85 years). Diabetes was the main condition encountered among 23 patients and CVDs were reported among 18 patients. Perceived factors leading to MRPs were of four types and related to: patient-, healthcare system-, clinical (condition-) and medicine-related factors. Patient-related factors were related to living situation, religious practices, diet/exercise and patients’ behaviour towards the condition and medicines. Healthcare system-related factors comprised sources and availability of medicines, ease of access to healthcare system and patient satisfaction with healthcare providers. Clinical (condition-) related factors associated with both the knowledge and control over condition, and effects of the condition among medicines intake. Medicine-related factors included lack of knowledge about medicines and medicine use.
Conclusions The results of this study uncovered many factors associated with MRPs among patients with CVDs and diabetes in Saudi Arabia, especially in reference to lifestyle and medicine use. Improving communication with healthcare professional alongside the introduction of national clinical guidance would mitigate the unwanted health complications related to medicine use.
- qualitative research
- general diabetes
- cardiology
This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
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Footnotes
Contributors AMAH carried out the interviews, data analysis and drafted the final manuscript. ZA contributed to the study design, coordination of the study and helped drafting the manuscript. HA contributed to data analysis and drafting the manuscript. MAG contributed to the study design and revised the manuscript critically for important intellectual content and edited the final draft. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. The interviews were conducted by AMAH during his PhD studies. Prior to conducting the interviews, AMAH received three intensive trainings on qualitative data collection, analysis and interpretation.
Disclaimer I confirm that the views expressed in the submitted article are my own and not an official position of the institution or funder.
Competing interests None declared.
Patient consent Obtained.
Ethics approval Ethical approval was sought from the General Directorate of Health Affairs in Najran, Saudi Arabia. In addition, informed consent was obtained from each patient before the interview took place. The interviewees were further provided with a study information sheet prior to the interview containing detailed information about the interview process, the use of the information obtained, as well as the researcher’s commitment to maintaining patients’ confidentiality. Moreover, participants were made aware before the interview that they have the right to withdraw anytime without giving any justification.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
Data sharing statement The datasets generated and/or analysed during the current study are not publicly available due to restrictions associated with anonymity of participants but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.