Beliefs and adherence to medicines among malaysian malay type 2 diabetics

Introduction: This study is to explore the relationship between cognitive and emotional parameters of patients’ attitudes and beliefs and adherence toward prescribed medicines among Malay T2DM patients in a Primary Health Clinics. Method: This is a cross sectional survey conducted over a period of two months at the outpatient department in seven government primary health clinics in the district of Kuala Langat, Selangor, Malaysia. A non-probability convenience sampling method was employed and patient’s recruitment based on the set inclusion criteria. Consented patients need to complete the survey form. BMQ and MARS were used to measure patients’ beliefs and adherence towards their medications. Results and Discussion: 345 registered Malay T2DM patients were selected. Most were women and only three subjects are single. At least half had primary level of education (51.6%). 72% of the subjects were housewives and pensioners. The majority (47.8%) had a monthly household income of RM999.00 or less. The average medications prescribed/ patient was five and the mean total frequency/day is 7.28. >50% had poor HbA1c control. Those with upper secondary and college graduate education were concern as to why they need to take medications other than those for DM. MARS also showed 45% forget to take their prescribed medicine and 41% miss out the dose. BMQ findings showed Malay patients’ belief necessity toward prescribed medicine is similar to that reported westerners Relationship of belief and adherence showed statistically significant positive correlation between beliefs specific-necessity on oral hypoglycaemia agent (OHA) and adherence. Necessity-concern differential correlated higher adherence showed patients’ beliefs necessity of prescribed OHA outweighs concern or worried about the long term use, side effects and dependence of the OHA. Conclusion: Malaysian Malays attitudes and beliefs are not affected by race, gender, and socioeconomic status. However the patients’ are concern about long term use, side effects and dependence towards the prescribed medicines that can lead to poorer adherence. Finally by improving the patient’s beliefs on the necessity of prescribed OHA medicine will lead the stronger adherence.