The barriers and facilitators people with diabetes from a nonEnglish speaking background experience when managing their medications: a qualitative study

Aims and objectivesTo explore the barriers to and facilitators of effective medication management from the perspectives of people with diabetes from a nonEnglish speaking background, carers and health professionals.BackgroundThe barriers that people with diabetes experience managing their medications can adversely impact on health outcomes. People from nonEnglish speaking backgrounds are at risk of medication‐related problems, although there is a paucity of research in this area.DesignA qualitative research design using a purposive sampling approach.MethodsPeople with type 1 or type 2 diabetes from a nonEnglish speaking background, their carers, and health professionals who assisted these people and their carers to manage their medications were recruited from the diabetes outpatient clinic at an adult teaching public hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Participants were interviewed using a semi‐structured interview guide. All interviews were audio‐recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using a thematic framework method.ResultsEleven people with diabetes, 10 carers and 10 health professionals were interviewed, and four key issues were identified: diabetes knowledge, diabetes impact, medication knowledge and medication management. The cost of medications, language barriers that hinder communication, forgetfulness, and poor knowledge and understanding emerged as barriers to effective medication management. Facilitators included the use of dose administration aids to manage medications, but current medication lists were not used.ConclusionsFindings revealed people with diabetes experienced a multitude of barriers when managing their medications, and, despite the problems people experienced, there appeared to be poor use of support aids to assist people to effectively manage their medications.Relevance to clinical practiceThe findings can be used to develop strategies aiming at improving how people from nonEnglish speaking backgrounds manage their medicines.