Table 1.

Characteristics of included studies

Study	Na	Sex M:F	Age, years	Population			Ethnicity	Statinsc		Methodology	Data collection	Data analysis	Research topic and scope
				General	At-risk	CVDb		Yes	No
Australia and/or New Zealand
Gialamas 201125	26	11:15	41–70	—	26	—	NS	26	—	Qualitative	Telephone interviews	Content and thematic analysis	Knowledge of medication and risk, beliefs and concerns
Kairuz 200822	31	10:21	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS	10	21	Mixed methods	Semi-structured interviews	Thematic analysis	Medication compliance in older people
Speechly 201045	13	6:7	50–75	—	—	13	NS	NS	NS	Mixed methods	Questionnaire, semi-structured interviews	Thematic analysis	Attitudes to health lifestyle behaviours and medication
Denmark
Felde 201146	22	NS	42–80	—	22	—	NS	•	NS	Ethnomethodology	Face-to-face interviews	Interpretative analysis	Dilemma between medical regimens and everyday life
Kirkegaard 201329	14	6:8	24–70	—	14	—	NS	•	NS	Ethnography	Interviews	Ethnographic approach	Cholesterol-lowering medication and risk
France
Durack–Bown 200327	27	18:9	31–71	—	18	9	NS	27	—	Qualitative	Semi-structured interviews	Content analysis	Lipid-lowering medication, experience, knowledge
Sweden
Kärner 200247	23	14:9	41–61	—	—	23	NS	NS	NS	Phenomenology	Semi-structured interviews	Phenomenographic approach	Conceptions concerning drug treatment, lifestyle
Thailand
Chaipichit 201428	100	52:48	36–77	—	•	•	Asian	100	—	Qualitative	Face-to-face interviews	Thematic analysis	Adverse drug reactions to statins, patient experience
UK
Edwards 201048	18	5:13	23–77	8	4	6	NS	NS	NS	Qualitative	Serial interviews	Framework	Health literacy analysis
Jamison 201649	28	21:7	60–89	—	—	28	White, Asian	•	•	Qualitative	Semi-structured interviews	Grounded-theory analysis	Polypill for secondary stroke prevention
Polak 201550	34	NS	53–87	—	17	17	NS	34	—	Qualitative	Semi-structured interviews	Constant comparative method	Using risk information in decision making
Saukko 201251	30	20:10	30–65	—	30	—	NS	—	30	Qualitative	Telephone and face-to-face interviews	Constant comparative thematic analysis	Prevention of CVD
Stack 200824	19	9:10	41–82	—	19	—	Mixed	18	1	Qualitative	Semi-structured face-to-face interviews	Modified grounded theory	Multiple medicines in patients with comorbid T2D and CVD
Todd 201618	12	7:5	≥18	—	12	—	NS	•	•	Phenomenology	In-depth interviews	Phenomenological approach	Experience of patients, carers, and healthcare professionals of medication use
Tolmie 200319	33	20:13	24–80	—	•	•	NS	33	—	Qualitative	Face-to-face interviews	Thematic analysis	Perspectives on compliance with statin therapy
Turner 201352	28	20:8	40–74	—	28	—	White	16	12	Qualitative	Telephone interviews	Thematic analysis	Reasons for variation in statin take-up
Virdee 201553	17	11:6	≥50	—	•	•	Mixed	•	•	Qualitative	Semi-structured interviews	Thematic analysis	Patient perspectives on polypill to manage cardiovascular risk
US
Chakraborty 201332	30	18:12	NS	—	30	—	Mixed	30	—	Mixed methods	In-depth interviews	Content analysis and questionnaires	Distrust in health care, noncompliance
Coombs 200531	8	NS	22–67	—	5	3	Mixed	8	—	Mixed methods	Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews	Phenomenological analysis	Scale item generation for the development of Lipid Lowering Therapy Quality of Life Scale
Dixon 200954	27	10:17	22–64	—	•	•	NS	NS	NS	Qualitative	Semi-structured face-to-face interviews	Thematic analysis	Barriers to treatment, chronic illness management strategies
Fung 201023	18	9:9	NS	—	•	•	NS	• 18	—	Qualitative	Focus groups	Thematic analysis	Perspectives on non-adherence to statins
Garavalia 200933	40	20:20	44–78	—	—	40	NS	29	11	Qualitative	Telephone interviews	Qualitative descriptive analysis	Reasons for discontinuation of medication, perception of risk
Gillespie 200921	21	11:10	26–75	—	•	—	NS	•	•	Qualitative	In-depth semi-structured interviews	Grounded-theory approach	Emotional, social, and everyday life impact of living with a measured risk
Goldman 200626	50	NS	27–84	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS	Qualitative	Focus groups	Content analysis	Patient perspectives and knowledge on cholesterol, risk
Harrison 201355	98	52:46	29–97	—	•	•	Mixed	98	—	Mixed methods	Telephone survey, open-ended questions		Primary non-adherence to statins
Im 201517	16	10:6	40–84	—	—	—	Mixed	15	1	Qualitative	In-depth interviews	Interpretative analysis approach	Effect of direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising on adherence
Lau 200856	20	3:17	NS	—	•	•	Mixed	NS	NS	Qualitative	Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews approach	Grounded theory	Factors influencing medication importance
Madison 201057	10	0:10	60–93	—	—	10	NS	•	•	Mixed methods	In-depth interviews	Content analysis	Self-management intervention
Rifkin 201058	20	12:8	55–84	—	•	•	Mixed	•	•	Ethnography	Face-to-face interviews	Ethnographic approach	Medication prioritisation
Wu 200859	16	9:7	41–84	—	—	16	Mixed	None	None	Qualitative	In-depth interviews	Content analysis	Medication adherence in patients with HF

^•without number underneath = original study indicated the inclusion of patients in the category, but did not report the number of patients.

^aNumber of relevant population (excluded population, for example, physicians or healthcare professionals).

^bDiagnosed with CVD, or had a CVD event.

^cPrescribed or took/taking medication at the time of the study. CHD = congenital heart disease. CVD = cardiovascular disease. HF = heart failure. NS = not stated. T2D = type 2 diabetes.