Lipid-lowering agent preferences among patients with hypercholesterolemia: a focus group study
Background Non-adherence to lipid-lowering agents poses significant risks to patients and diminishes treatment effectiveness. Current understanding of patients’ preferences regarding the characteristics of these agents is limited. This study aims to qualitatively identify the barriers to lipid-lower...
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Taylor & Francis Group
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20523211.2024.2421261 |
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| author | Hei Hang Edmund Yiu Kehui Deng Lydia WY Fung Xuxiao Ye Joseph Edgar Blais Hung Fat Tse Martin Chi Sang Wong Bryan P. Yan William Chi Wai Wong Xue Li Carlos King Ho Wong Chun Ka Wong Esther W. Chan |
| author_facet | Hei Hang Edmund Yiu Kehui Deng Lydia WY Fung Xuxiao Ye Joseph Edgar Blais Hung Fat Tse Martin Chi Sang Wong Bryan P. Yan William Chi Wai Wong Xue Li Carlos King Ho Wong Chun Ka Wong Esther W. Chan |
| author_sort | Hei Hang Edmund Yiu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background Non-adherence to lipid-lowering agents poses significant risks to patients and diminishes treatment effectiveness. Current understanding of patients’ preferences regarding the characteristics of these agents is limited. This study aims to qualitatively identify the barriers to lipid-lowering medication adherence and the factors considered by patients with hypercholesterolemia when choosing lipid-lowering agents, and to inform the design of a medication preference study.Methods Face-to-face focus group interviews were conducted with Cantonese-speaking patients diagnosed with hypercholesterolemia in Hong Kong. Patients were recruited by cardiologists at a university-affiliated hospital using convenience sampling. The interviews consisted of three parts: gathering patients’ perceptions of disease and medication, identifying important factors in selecting lipid-lowering agents, and completing the medication preference tasks designed using the Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) method. Thematic analysis was used to categorise the codes derived from the transcripts into higher-order themes.Results Twenty patients completed the focus group interviews on the university campus between January and March 2023. Four main themes emerged: medication management issues, patients’ medication preferences, structure, and comprehension of preference tasks. Barriers to medication adherence included lack of knowledge, a high pill burden, poor communication with healthcare providers, minimal treatment decision involvement, limited access to medication information, side effects, and forgetfulness. Factors influencing medication choice were treatment regimen (i.e. the route and frequency of administration), effectiveness, side effects, doctors’ opinions, drug interactions, and out-of-pocket costs. Despite suggestions for modifying attributes and levels, the medication preference tasks effectively reflected patients’ trade-offs.Conclusions The identified barriers to medication adherence and the factors influencing medication choice highlight the importance of considering patients’ perspectives. These insights could assist decision-makers in selecting medications that align with patient preferences, thereby promoting medication adherence. A large-scale DCE preference study will be conducted in Hong Kong to quantify the relative importance of the attributes of lipid-lowering agents. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-12dbd537e77a4cdbabdfe6a840982297 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2052-3211 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice |
| spelling | doaj-art-12dbd537e77a4cdbabdfe6a8409822972024-12-09T10:01:28ZengTaylor & Francis GroupJournal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice2052-32112024-12-0117110.1080/20523211.2024.2421261Lipid-lowering agent preferences among patients with hypercholesterolemia: a focus group studyHei Hang Edmund Yiu0Kehui Deng1Lydia WY Fung2Xuxiao Ye3Joseph Edgar Blais4Hung Fat Tse5Martin Chi Sang Wong6Bryan P. Yan7William Chi Wai Wong8Xue Li9Carlos King Ho Wong10Chun Ka Wong11Esther W. Chan12Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of ChinaFaculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, AustraliaCentre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of ChinaCentre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of ChinaCentre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of ChinaDepartment of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of ChinaJC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of ChinaDepartment of Medicine & Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of ChinaDepartment of Family Medicine and Primary Care, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of ChinaCentre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of ChinaCentre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of ChinaDepartment of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of ChinaCentre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of ChinaBackground Non-adherence to lipid-lowering agents poses significant risks to patients and diminishes treatment effectiveness. Current understanding of patients’ preferences regarding the characteristics of these agents is limited. This study aims to qualitatively identify the barriers to lipid-lowering medication adherence and the factors considered by patients with hypercholesterolemia when choosing lipid-lowering agents, and to inform the design of a medication preference study.Methods Face-to-face focus group interviews were conducted with Cantonese-speaking patients diagnosed with hypercholesterolemia in Hong Kong. Patients were recruited by cardiologists at a university-affiliated hospital using convenience sampling. The interviews consisted of three parts: gathering patients’ perceptions of disease and medication, identifying important factors in selecting lipid-lowering agents, and completing the medication preference tasks designed using the Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) method. Thematic analysis was used to categorise the codes derived from the transcripts into higher-order themes.Results Twenty patients completed the focus group interviews on the university campus between January and March 2023. Four main themes emerged: medication management issues, patients’ medication preferences, structure, and comprehension of preference tasks. Barriers to medication adherence included lack of knowledge, a high pill burden, poor communication with healthcare providers, minimal treatment decision involvement, limited access to medication information, side effects, and forgetfulness. Factors influencing medication choice were treatment regimen (i.e. the route and frequency of administration), effectiveness, side effects, doctors’ opinions, drug interactions, and out-of-pocket costs. Despite suggestions for modifying attributes and levels, the medication preference tasks effectively reflected patients’ trade-offs.Conclusions The identified barriers to medication adherence and the factors influencing medication choice highlight the importance of considering patients’ perspectives. These insights could assist decision-makers in selecting medications that align with patient preferences, thereby promoting medication adherence. A large-scale DCE preference study will be conducted in Hong Kong to quantify the relative importance of the attributes of lipid-lowering agents.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20523211.2024.2421261Lipid-lowering agentshypercholesterolemiapreferencesadherencebarriersfocus group |
| spellingShingle | Hei Hang Edmund Yiu Kehui Deng Lydia WY Fung Xuxiao Ye Joseph Edgar Blais Hung Fat Tse Martin Chi Sang Wong Bryan P. Yan William Chi Wai Wong Xue Li Carlos King Ho Wong Chun Ka Wong Esther W. Chan Lipid-lowering agent preferences among patients with hypercholesterolemia: a focus group study Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice Lipid-lowering agents hypercholesterolemia preferences adherence barriers focus group |
| title | Lipid-lowering agent preferences among patients with hypercholesterolemia: a focus group study |
| title_full | Lipid-lowering agent preferences among patients with hypercholesterolemia: a focus group study |
| title_fullStr | Lipid-lowering agent preferences among patients with hypercholesterolemia: a focus group study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lipid-lowering agent preferences among patients with hypercholesterolemia: a focus group study |
| title_short | Lipid-lowering agent preferences among patients with hypercholesterolemia: a focus group study |
| title_sort | lipid lowering agent preferences among patients with hypercholesterolemia a focus group study |
| topic | Lipid-lowering agents hypercholesterolemia preferences adherence barriers focus group |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20523211.2024.2421261 |
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