A randomized trial of pictorial versus prose-based medication information pamphlets

The goal of this study was to compare prose and pictorial-based information pamphlets about the medication methotrexate in the domains of free recall, cued recall, comprehension and utility.

A single blind, randomized trial of picture versus prose-based information pamphlets including 100 participants aged 18-65 years of age, who had not completed high school, could read English, and had no prior knowledge about methotrexate. Superiority of pamphlet type was assessed using immediate free recall, cued recall and comprehension.

There were no differences between picture and prose pamphlets in free recall, cued recall, and comprehension either immediately or after a 1-week interval. Immediate free recall of important information was 17-26%; free recall fell even lower to 7-16% after 1 week. The pictorial pamphlet was preferred over the prose-based pamphlet.

This study found no benefit in free recall, cued recall, or comprehension through the addition of pictograms to a simple prose-based medication pamphlet.

In order for them to be effective in clinical practice, even simple medication information pamphlets that have been assessed for patients' ability to comprehend them cannot be used as the sole means for conveying important medication-related information to patients.