Healthy Skepticism Library item: 13720

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Publication type: Journal Article

Wallace LS, Keenum AJ, Roskos SE, Blake GH, Colwell ST, Weiss BD.
Suitability and readability of consumer medical information accompanying prescription medication samples.
Patient Educ Couns 2008 Mar; 70:(3):420-5
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6TBC-4RTKXF9-7&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=3dec254566dd1c6ea376c7c50132a2b1

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To examine readability and formatting characteristics of consumer medication information (CMI) accompanying prescription medication samples.

METHODS: We collected the most commonly used prescription medication samples (n=100) from four out-patient clinics at a large teaching hospital in the Southeastern US. Seventeen percent of samples were not pills/tablets and of such diverse nature (e.g., injections, drops, and creams) that there were not enough in any category to draw conclusions. Therefore, our analyses were limited to 83pill/tablet samples, belonging to 11 drug classes (e.g., cardiovascular, and psychiatric). We noted if CMI was present, and if so we assessed it for how instructions were presented, reading level, text size, format/layout, and comprehensibility.

RESULTS: No CMI was present in 39 (46.9%) samples. In 19 (22.9%), CMI was contained in a package insert and in 25 (30.2%) it was printed on the medication package. Average reading difficulty of CMI was at the 10th grade level (range=6-15) using the Fry formula, and text point size was small (mean 9.9+/-2.2 on package inserts and 9.4+/-2.6 when printed on packages).

CONCLUSIONS: Almost half of samples did not include any type of CMI. For those that had CMI, it was often written at a reading difficulty level higher than the average reading skills of American adults, and the format of most CMI was not optimal for comprehensibility. It is likely that many patients do not understand the instructions accompanying medication samples they receive from clinicians.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Clinicians should be cognizant of the shortcomings of CMI accompanying medication samples and thereby, distribute them to patients with caution. Manufacturers too should consider revising CMI to comply with low-literacy guidelines.

Keywords:
Prescription; Drug; Medication; Instructions; Samples; Health literacy Publication Types: Evaluation Studies MeSH Terms: Comprehension* Drug Administration Schedule Drug Industry Drug Labeling/standards* Educational Status Guidelines as Topic Hospitals, Teaching Humans Marketing of Health Services Outpatient Clinics, Hospital Pamphlets Patient Education as Topic/standards* Prescriptions, Drug*/classification Prescriptions, Drug*/statistics & numerical data Semantics Southeastern United States Teaching Materials/standards*