Hypertensive patients' preferences for complementary and alternative medicine and the influence of these preferences on the adherence to prescribed medication.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to understand hypertensive patients' perceptions of and adherence to prescribed medication.


METHODS
A qualitative research study based on 23 purposely selected participants from a community health clinic in Malaysia. The participants underwent in-depth semi-structured interviews, and the data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis method.


RESULTS
The participants were presented with six types of perceptions of medication. The majority of the participants had negative perceptions of Western medicine (WM), self-adjusted their prescribed medication with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and concealed their self-adjusting habits from their doctors. Participants who thought positively of WM took their prescribed medication regularly. Most of the participants perceived the nature of WM as not being curative because of its side effects. Patients have the right to choose their preferred medication when they understand their illness.


CONCLUSIONS
Local health care systems should provide patients with alternative health services that suit their requests.
Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia. Electronic address: chewhan4694@yahoo.com.
Khuan
K
Lee
Department of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology, Faculty of Educational Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia. Electronic address: halaliah@educ.upm.edu.my.
Halimatun Halaliah
HH
Mokhtar
Community Educations and Youth Studies Laboratory, Institute for Social Science Studies (IPSAS), Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia. Electronic address: abd_lateef@hotmail.com.
Steven Eric
SE
Krauss
School of Social Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia. Electronic address: ongbengkok@hotmail.com.
Beng Kok
BK
Ong
D000328:Adult; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents
Adherence; Complementary and alternative medicine; Hypertension; Qualitative research