Not at All Effective: Differences in Views on the Causes of Prescription Non-adherence Between North Korean Defectors and Medical Providers in South Korea

By focusing on North Korean defectors’ medical experiences in South Korea and their medical providers’ experiences treating the defectors, this article considers the differences between the views of these two groups in regard to the causes of prescription non-adherence. The results suggest that (a) whereas the defectors tended to see their symptoms as being physical in nature, the medical providers often ascribed symptoms to psychological/socio-cultural influence; (b) whereas the defectors tended to trust in their ability to self-diagnose and in their belief systems established in North Korea, the medical providers tended not to place trust in these aspects; (c) whereas the defectors tended to view the available medical treatment as inappropriate for them, the medical providers often noted the presence of tolerant bacterial strains as causes of treatment failure; and (d) whereas the defectors felt that the treatment they received was slow and ineffective and attributed this to capitalism, the medical providers felt that the defectors failed to understand the concept of staged treatments. Based on the findings, some solutions are suggested to address the complex issue of North Korean defectors’ prescription non-adherence in terms of subjective/objective health assessments and patient-centered care. North Korean defectors’ established health beliefs/lack of medical knowledge based on their previous medical and cultural experiences gave rise to beliefs and practices associated with medicine that differ significantly from those of the health providers and that have the potential to severely compromise the defectors’ health. Therefore, therapy negotiation and appropriate education are suggested as possible solutions, and as an agenda, the notion of civic friendship is addressed. Implications for medical practice, prevention, and intervention are also discussed.