[The knowledge of patients on the drug therapies at discharge]

Patients knowledge on drug therapy is one of the bases for compliance. Patients are discharged with ill defined knowledge on new treatments. Information is provided but often it is not paced on patients needs.

To assess patients' knowledge on the drug therapies they are prescribed at discharge from hospital.

Two-hundred eleven medical patients were interviewed at discharge from hospital. Information on medications already taken before admission and new medications were collected, on the 7 most prescribed drugs. Patients were asked when they had received the information on drugs and by whom.

Thirty-three per cent of patients are discharged with new drugs, 15% with more than 4 new drugs. Knowledge gaps concern drugs and behaviours to be avoided and side effects (patients lack information on 69.3 and 61.8% of prescribed therapies respectively). Information is more scanty on new treatments although more information is provided during hospital stay. The doctors are more involved in informing patients (47.9% of treatments) while the nurses' role is less relevant (14.1% of treatments). Lack of information is widespread across different wards.

The study indicates the need for patients counselling during hospitalization, with respect to medication therapy.