Understanding the expectations and beliefs about medicines among the elderly patients with diabetes mellitus: a pilot study

This study explored and described the expectations and beliefs about medicines among diabetes patients with special focus on the elderly. The main objectives of this study are, to understand the patients' expectations from the treatment given and to explore their beliefs about medicines taken. The problem which leads to this study is, many elderly patients with diabetes have been reported to neglect their medicines. Moreover, very limited local studies have specifically approached elderly patients with diabetes to explore their expectations and beliefs about medicines taken. A mixed method research strategy which included qualitative and quantitative research approach were used. Data were collected through snowball, convenient and purposive sampling methods. The criteria of the patients are 60 years old or above, able to speak Malay or English and is having diabetes mellitus. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 10 elderly patients. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. In this study, most of the patients are aware that the medicines taken are only for controlling the blood glucose level, and that it will not completely cure the disease. But, they have an individual expectation about how the medicines should work, in order for them to continue taking it for a long time. Based on the findings, their expectations from the treatment given are, to be able to eat normally, to be able to do their daily routine, to have a regular counselling with health care provider, to have new medicines with less side effects, and to normalise the blood glucose level. In BMQ, 4 out of 10 of patients have larger concern score than necessity score. They were concerned about the harmfulness of their medicines. Based from the interviews done with the patients, 3 of them have stopped taking their medicine for quite a long time. The highest score for necessity is "I sometimes worry about the long-term effects of my medicine. " This trend shows that, most patients are worried about the side effects of the long-term use, thus, affecting the medicines taking behaviour. Whereas, for necessity part of BMQ, the highest score statement is "My medicines protect me from becoming worse. " They also belief that medicines protect them. The conclusion is, elderly patients are worried about the side effects of the medicines they took which lead to non-adherence to their medicines regimen.