Patient Preferences for Electronic Versus Paper Patient Information Leaflets: A Survey Among Patients in Sweden

In compliance with legal requirements, medications are mandated to include a patient information leaflet (PIL) in a physical/paper format that serves as a vital source of information about the medication. While the use of an electronic PIL (ePIL) ensures the availability of the most current information for patients, the prevailing preference between the traditional PIL and ePIL remains uncertain. This observational study aimed to address this gap by reporting the findings of an online survey designed to compare patient preferences for an ePIL versus a paper PIL.

Conducted across a total of 15 pharmacies in Sweden, the survey enlisted patients via convenience sampling to rate their preference for an ePIL versus a PIL on a 7-point scale together with other questions on, for example, the ease of information retrieval after their visit to the pharmacy. Data collection commenced in December 2022 and ended in November 2023. The primary hypothesis posited that the ePIL format would emerge as the preferred choice. Most participants were female (66%), and the average age was 56 years.

The findings highlighted an inclination towards the ePIL as the preferred choice (58% preferred ePIL, 11% preferred PIL, and 31% were indifferent), with respondents expressing that information retrieval was notably more convenient compared to the paper-based format. Older participants were generally indifferent towards the format. The majority of patients reported familiarity with receiving information in digital formats.

These results suggest the readiness of patients in Sweden to transition to ePILs from the traditional paper PIL.