TY - JOUR
T1 - Migrant health in New Zealand
T2 - Exploring issues concerning medicines access and use
AU - Babar, Zaheer Ud Din
AU - Pengelly, Kelly
AU - Scahill, Shane L.
AU - Garg, Sanjay
AU - Shaw, John
PY - 2013/3/1
Y1 - 2013/3/1
N2 - Objectives: Every year a cohort of new migrants enters New Zealand (NZ), bringing challenges that impact on medicines use and health outcomes. The prescribing of medicines is a common therapeutic intervention and access to medicines and optimal use cannot be assumed for these populations. Internationally the literature exploring issues relating to medicines access and use by migrants in high-income countries is scarce. This study aims to explore attitudes, beliefs and perceptions of a cohort of migrants about medicines access and use in NZ. Methods: A qualitative research methodology was employed with participants being recruited through snowballing techniques and interviewed (seven Indian and four Chinese). Following consent, a semi-structured guide was used for discussions. Themes were developed from codes based on the guide. These themes were developed by two members of the research team and reviewed by a third member. Results: Emergent themes reflected the following dialogue: (a) financial barriers: paying doctor and pharmacist, lack of affordability of over-the-counter medicines, sharing medicines with family and friends; (b) information transfer and knowledge of rules, systems and initiatives, particularly regarding subsidies and brand switching; (c) misconceptions due to culture and language barriers, including not understanding information and lack of compliance in symptom-free disease; (d) perceptions of high quality in prescription medicines; (e) non-disclosure of traditional medicine use and (f) variability of community pharmacy service provision, especially counselling. Conclusions: Significant barriers to access and optimal use of medicines by new migrants in NZ were identified. Policy change and educational interventions are likely to be required to improve medicines-related health care to migrant New Zealanders. Future research will need to quantify the extent of the issues and interventions should be developed and evaluated as ongoing research.
AB - Objectives: Every year a cohort of new migrants enters New Zealand (NZ), bringing challenges that impact on medicines use and health outcomes. The prescribing of medicines is a common therapeutic intervention and access to medicines and optimal use cannot be assumed for these populations. Internationally the literature exploring issues relating to medicines access and use by migrants in high-income countries is scarce. This study aims to explore attitudes, beliefs and perceptions of a cohort of migrants about medicines access and use in NZ. Methods: A qualitative research methodology was employed with participants being recruited through snowballing techniques and interviewed (seven Indian and four Chinese). Following consent, a semi-structured guide was used for discussions. Themes were developed from codes based on the guide. These themes were developed by two members of the research team and reviewed by a third member. Results: Emergent themes reflected the following dialogue: (a) financial barriers: paying doctor and pharmacist, lack of affordability of over-the-counter medicines, sharing medicines with family and friends; (b) information transfer and knowledge of rules, systems and initiatives, particularly regarding subsidies and brand switching; (c) misconceptions due to culture and language barriers, including not understanding information and lack of compliance in symptom-free disease; (d) perceptions of high quality in prescription medicines; (e) non-disclosure of traditional medicine use and (f) variability of community pharmacy service provision, especially counselling. Conclusions: Significant barriers to access and optimal use of medicines by new migrants in NZ were identified. Policy change and educational interventions are likely to be required to improve medicines-related health care to migrant New Zealanders. Future research will need to quantify the extent of the issues and interventions should be developed and evaluated as ongoing research.
KW - Access to medicines
KW - Ethnic minorities
KW - Migrant health
KW - New Zealand
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84873499306&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1759-8893.2012.00105.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1759-8893.2012.00105.x
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84873499306
VL - 4
SP - 41
EP - 49
JO - Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research
JF - Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research
SN - 1759-8885
IS - 1
ER -