Patients' willingness to work with peer supporters for chronic medication management. Issue 1 (22nd January 2016) - Thach, Andrew V
Abstract: Objectives: To use the theory of planned behaviour to predict patients' willingness to work with a peer supporter for medication management, to assess perceived importance of peer supporter characteristics and to assess communication preferences. Methods: A survey was administered to a convenience sample of 130 adult patients taking prescribed medication(s) for diabetes, hypertension and/or hyperlipidaemia. The survey measured willingness to work with a peer supporter, attitude (A), subjective norm (SN), perceived behavioural control (PBC), prior experience with peer support (PE) and demographic variables (covariates). Descriptive statistics were assessed for all variables, and relationships between A, SN, PBC, PE, covariates and willingness were examined using multiple regression analysis. Key findings: Most respondents were non-Hispanic white (45.3%), women (56.2%) and had hypertension (75.8%). Respondents were neutral to somewhat willing to work with a peer supporter (4.8 ± 1.7; range: 1–7). A ( β = 0.341, P < 0.001), SN ( β = 0.168, P = 0.122), PBC ( β = −0.043, P = 0.692) and PE ( β = 0.290, P < 0.001), together with age and ethnicity, accounted for 35.8% of the variance in willingness ( F = 14.050, df = 1, 109, P < 0.001). The characteristic with the highest perceived importance was experiential knowledge (mean = 4.2 ± 0.8; range = 1–5). Most preferred to communicate with a peer supporter by telephone (82.3%) and once a month (34.4%). Conclusions: Positive attitude and prior experience were significant predictors of willingness. Initiatives to increase willingness should focus on potential benefits of working with a peer supporter, which may positively shape patients' attitude. In order to increase effectiveness of peer support programmes, pharmacists and researchers should incorporate important peer supporter characteristics and communication preferences into programmes.