Table 3.
Reasons that participants took medicines in a different way from which was prescribed.
Reason | % (n/45⁎) |
---|---|
Not applicable – I always take my medicines as prescribed | 44.4 (20) |
I forgot to take them | 40.1 (18) |
I forgot to bring my medicines from home with me when I was travelling/working | 35.6 (16) |
My symptoms had got better so I didn't think I needed them anymore | 18.2 (8) |
They made me feel sick | 15.6 (7) |
I didn't have any medicines left | 8.9 (4) |
I couldn't afford to pick up my medicines | 8.9 (4) |
I wasn't able to get the Dr. to get the prescription | 6.7 (3) |
I wasn't able to get the pharmacy to pick up my medicines | 6.7 (3) |
I didn't think they were right for me | 6.7 (3) |
Another health professional told me to take them differently to how they had been prescribed | 4.4 (2) |
The medicines made no difference to my health | 4.4 (2) |
I used alternative treatments instead of medicines | 4.4 (2) |
The prescriber made a mistake with what was prescribed | 2.2 (1) |
I had been given the wrong medicines so I didn't take them | 2.2 (1) |
It was a hassle to take the medicines | 2.2 (1) |
I hadn't been given enough information to decide if I wanted to take them | 2.2 (1) |
I take too many medicines | 2.2 (1) |
The medicine treatment was too complicated | 2.2 (1) |
It was inconvenient to take my medicines | 2.2 (1) |
I had more important things going on | 2.2 (1) |
I didn't trust the medicines | 0 (0) |
I didn't believe in the medicines | 0 (0) |
Other – not specified | 6.7 (3) |
13 other participants reported that this question was not applicable as they did not take regular medicines.