Cultural heritage and patient compliance?
Ive always been proud of my Irish heritage. In fact, Ive worn it most of my life as a bit of a badge.
I gave my girls classically Irish names in an effort to provide them with an indelible link to their courageous ancestors who turned adversity and challenge in their homeland into opportunity and promise on a remarkable journey to America. I pass down tales told across our generations of a strong and determined people, not afraid of hard work or sacrifice to ensure a better life for those to come down the line. And even without that tutelage, my porcelain-skinned, auburn-haired young beauties would find it difficult to deny their heritage even if they tried.
My husband has at least partially ceded that attempts at influencing these headstrong young women is, at best, an uphill battle against their breeding. He avoids, as he puts it getting the Irish up among the women in his household, for he knows hes outnumbered and outmatched.
But one thing neither of us ever dreamed of having to tell our daughters about their Irish ancestry is that it might have an influence on their ability to remain adherent to their medications. It seems, according to recent studies, that we Irish also are a headstrong lot when it comes following doctors orders or written medication directions.
According to the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA), 50% of cardiovascular disease-related hospital admissions in Ireland are due to poor adherence to medication. And a recent study in Belfast concluded that difficult-to-treat asthma was most often linked to patients that didnt take their medicine as instructed rather than ineffective medication.
And true to their roots, all indications in the 2009 Pfizer health index are that my thrifty-to-a fault Irish brethren are cutting back on their medications and visits to the doctor as a result of the recession. In addition, the IPHA finds that Irish patients largely fail to read the information leaflets included with their medications or ask their pharmacists for advice.
But Im not just picking on the Irish here. The point is that there are cultural differences at play everywhere. And as if patient non-adherence issues werent difficult and challenging enough already and affected by a myriad of factors such as age, gender, severity of condition, symptoms and side effects, its clear we also must consider cultural components that may contribute to a patients likelihood or not of taking his medicine.
But as we so often say, its our differences that keep life interesting. And theyll clearly also keep those interested in solving non-adherence challenges busy for some time to come.