Beliefs about medicines in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus: a comparison between patients of South Asian and White British origin.
OBJECTIVE
To assess whether patients with RA and SLE who are of South Asian origin have different beliefs about medicines in general, and about DMARDs in particular, compared with patients of White British/Irish origin.


METHODS
One hundred patients of South Asian origin (50 RA; 50 SLE) and 100 patients of White British/Irish origin (50 RA; 50 SLE) were recruited. Demographic and disease-related details and responses to the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ), the SF-36 and the HAQ were collected.


RESULTS
Patients of South Asian origin had significantly higher General Overuse (GO), General Harm (GH) and Specific Concern (SC) scores compared with patients of White British/Irish origin. Forward stepwise multivariable regression analysis showed that ethnic origin was an independent predictor of the GO, GH and SC scores with patients of South Asian origin having higher scores in these three scales of the BMQ.


CONCLUSIONS
RA and SLE patients of South Asian origin have very high levels of concern about DMARDs and are generally worried about prescribed medicines. This may have an impact on adherence in this group of patients and further work is needed to understand the reasons underlying these beliefs.
Kumar
K
K
Rheumatology Research Group, Division of Immunity and Infection, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK. k.kumar@bham.ac.uk
Gordon
C
C
Toescu
V
V
Buckley
C D
CD
Horne
R
R
Nightingale
P G
PG
Raza
K
K
D000328:Adult; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D001210:Asia, Southeastern / Q000208:ethnology; D044466:Asian People; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012044:Regression Analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom; D044465:White People
D018501:Antirheumatic Agents