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Prescription information leaflets: a national survey.
S Gibbs1, W E Waters, C F George
1Clinical Pharmacology Group, University of Southampton, Bassett Crescent East.
Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine
|May 1, 1990
Summary
Providing prescription information leaflets significantly improved patient knowledge and satisfaction with medicines like penicillins and NSAIDs. This study supports routine use of these patient information leaflets for better health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacovigilance
- Health Communication
- Patient Education
Background:
- Patient understanding of prescribed medications is crucial for adherence and safety.
- Information leaflets are a common tool for patient education, but their effectiveness varies.
- Previous research suggests benefits, but broader validation is needed across diverse patient populations and settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of prescription information leaflets on patient knowledge and satisfaction.
- To assess the effectiveness of leaflets across different drug classes (penicillins, NSAIDs, beta-blockers) and demographic groups.
- To determine if leaflet provision influences patient perception of their medication.
Main Methods:
- A national postal survey involving 3,410 patients from 254 pharmacies.
- Patients were prescribed penicillins, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), or beta-adrenoceptor antagonists.
- Comparison of knowledge and satisfaction between patients who received leaflets (1809) and those who did not (1601).
Main Results:
- Patients receiving information leaflets demonstrated significantly greater knowledge about their medicines, particularly side effects.
- Leaflet recipients reported higher levels of satisfaction compared to the control group.
- Effectiveness was consistent across geographical locations (north, south) and town sizes (small, medium, large).
- All demographic groups (sex, age, social class) benefited from the leaflets, with 97% finding them beneficial.
Conclusions:
- Prescription information leaflets enhance patient knowledge and satisfaction with medications.
- The positive effects are widespread, benefiting diverse patient populations and settings.
- Routine implementation of information leaflets with prescribed medicines is recommended to improve patient understanding and experience.