If my cholesterol is…then I foresee…: patient accounts of uncertainty

The author examines the talk of patients with high cholesterol as they discuss their experiences of adding a statin to their treatment regimen. The primary objective was to understand patients’ expectations of statins, and their beliefs and feelings as they continued or discontinued use, and to bett...

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Main Author: Darlene K. Drummond
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2017-12-01
Series:Qualitative Research in Medicine & Healthcare
Online Access:https://www.pagepressjournals.org/index.php/qrmh/article/view/7006
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author Darlene K. Drummond
author_facet Darlene K. Drummond
author_sort Darlene K. Drummond
collection DOAJ
description The author examines the talk of patients with high cholesterol as they discuss their experiences of adding a statin to their treatment regimen. The primary objective was to understand patients’ expectations of statins, and their beliefs and feelings as they continued or discontinued use, and to better understand why adherence to a statin regimen is particularly low. While numerous studies report reasons for nonadherence, few apply theory to provide plausible explanations. Analysis of the focus group data revealed three major themes. First, patients do not view high cholesterol as serious in light of other major health problems like diabetes and cancer within the household. Second, patients believe statins are effective in lowering cholesterol but risky. Third, many patients do not understand how high levels of cholesterol are produced in the body and how statins interrupt that process. Problematic integration theory is used to explain the uncertainty patients experience when given a diagnosis of high cholesterol, the use of statins to control it, and the quality of information received about both cholesterol and statins.
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spelling doaj-art-b433785212c4413f99f46ea0bf6f6c122025-08-20T02:54:42ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Qualitative Research in Medicine & Healthcare2532-20442017-12-011310.4081/qrmh.2017.7006If my cholesterol is…then I foresee…: patient accounts of uncertaintyDarlene K. Drummond0Institute for Writing and Rhetoric, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NHThe author examines the talk of patients with high cholesterol as they discuss their experiences of adding a statin to their treatment regimen. The primary objective was to understand patients’ expectations of statins, and their beliefs and feelings as they continued or discontinued use, and to better understand why adherence to a statin regimen is particularly low. While numerous studies report reasons for nonadherence, few apply theory to provide plausible explanations. Analysis of the focus group data revealed three major themes. First, patients do not view high cholesterol as serious in light of other major health problems like diabetes and cancer within the household. Second, patients believe statins are effective in lowering cholesterol but risky. Third, many patients do not understand how high levels of cholesterol are produced in the body and how statins interrupt that process. Problematic integration theory is used to explain the uncertainty patients experience when given a diagnosis of high cholesterol, the use of statins to control it, and the quality of information received about both cholesterol and statins.https://www.pagepressjournals.org/index.php/qrmh/article/view/7006
spellingShingle Darlene K. Drummond
If my cholesterol is…then I foresee…: patient accounts of uncertainty
Qualitative Research in Medicine & Healthcare
title If my cholesterol is…then I foresee…: patient accounts of uncertainty
title_full If my cholesterol is…then I foresee…: patient accounts of uncertainty
title_fullStr If my cholesterol is…then I foresee…: patient accounts of uncertainty
title_full_unstemmed If my cholesterol is…then I foresee…: patient accounts of uncertainty
title_short If my cholesterol is…then I foresee…: patient accounts of uncertainty
title_sort if my cholesterol is then i foresee patient accounts of uncertainty
url https://www.pagepressjournals.org/index.php/qrmh/article/view/7006
work_keys_str_mv AT darlenekdrummond ifmycholesterolistheniforeseepatientaccountsofuncertainty