Ethnic Identity in Transition: the Potential Impact of Ethnicity on Chronic Illness\u2019 Medication Adherence in Post-Soviet Country

Kadi Lubi,Ain Raal,Pille Taba

doi:10.1007/s40615-021-01048-x

Abstract

Previously, it has been shown that factors like ethnicity and proficiency of state’s official language not only influence self-management abilities and medication adherence but may also indicate the level of trust in physicians, medication, and healthcare system. This research aims to examine the potential impact of ethnicity on medication adherence based on the example of a post-Soviet country. The research was carried out as a quantitative survey among 303 hypertension and type 2 diabetes patients in Estonia, involving participants from ethnic majority and minority. Research was conducted in community pharmacies and data analysed statistically with SPSS. The findings were opposite to previous research. Although members of the ethnic minority used less illness-related sources, these sources relied more on evidence-based medicine compared to the ethnic majority. Because of this, medication adherence was also slightly higher for the ethnic minority compared to the majority. Therefore, these findings indicate trust in medical authorities, their decisions, and recommendations. There was a statistically significant relationship between general and illness-related information-seeking activity; however, medication adherence was not related to information-seeking activity. The research outlines that in addition to ethnolinguistic aspect, also potential cultural influence might determine the trust in medicine and medication adherence.

Highlights

The occurrence of chronic diseases is increasing and taking the form of a silent pandemic [1]; more than half of all deaths have been caused by noncommunicable diseases [2], and it is estimated that, in developed countries, up to 57% of the population suffer from more than one chronic condition [3]
Sixty-three per cent of the participants defined themselves as Russians
Different medical sources were the most important ones regardless of the ethnicity, the analysis revealed that the variety of illness-related sources is slightly lower among members of ethnic minority, which may be related to a couple of aspects

Summary

Introduction

The occurrence of chronic diseases is increasing and taking the form of a silent pandemic [1]; more than half of all deaths have been caused by noncommunicable diseases [2], and it is estimated that, in developed countries, up to 57% of the population suffer from more than one chronic condition [3]. Medication nonadherence has been stated to be extremely In their scoping review, Zhang et al [9] have outlined that (among other factors) medication adherence is dependent on the proficiency of official language and cultural practices, which determine disparities in self-management and utilisation of health information and resources. The study site was Estonia, a former Soviet country that is situated next to the Russian Federation and has. Re-independence and transition of Estonia entailed polarisation of ethnolinguistic communities and challenge to Russian-speaking minority as they had to adjust to their new position in the context of the Estonian nation-state that changed Russians’ position in the society and required acquisition of Estonian as the new national language [15]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion