Perceptions of the risks and benefits of medicines in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other painful musculoskeletal conditions

Objectives. To examine beliefs about medication risks and benefits in patients attending a specialist rheumatology clinic for pain-related conditions. Methods. Eighty-one patients (37 first attendees and 44 existing clinic patients) completed a written questionnaire which asked about current treatments, perceived effectiveness, main risks and benefits, and compliance. Results. Existing clinic patients perceived medications to be more effective and more risky than did the new patients, although both groups rated risks to be moderately low. The main perceived risks were adverse side-effects, although patients reported only moderately low levels of experiencing such effects. Conclusions. In contrast to some other studies, many of our patients were aware of medication risks and were prepared to accept them provided benefits were seen to be high. Existing clinic patients were more aware of risks and benefits, and reported higher compliance levels than new patients, possibly as a result of the hospital education programme. Future studies should evaluate the effects of the programme more systematically.

Water reuse for irrigation in Jordan: perceptions of water quality among farmers

The reuse of treated wastewater (reclaimed water) for irrigation is a valuable strategy to maximise available water resources, but the often marginal quality of the water can present agricultural challenges. Semi-structured interviews were held with Jordanian farmers to explore how they perceive the quality of reclaimed water. Of the 11 farmers interviewed who irrigate with reclaimed water directly near treatment plants, 10 described reclaimed water either positively or neutrally. In contrast, 27 of the 39 farmers who use reclaimed water indirectly, after it is blended with fresh water, viewed the resource negatively, although 23 of the indirect reuse farmers also recognised the nutrient benefits. Farmer perception of reclaimed water may be a function of its quality, but consideration should also be given to farmers’ capacity to manage the agricultural challenges associated with reclaimed water (salinity, irrigation system damage, marketing of produce), their actual and perceived capacity to control where and when reclaimed water is used, and their capacity to influence the quality of the water delivered to the farm.