Patients’ views on electronic patient information leaflets
Main Article Content
Keywords
Drug Labeling, Telemedicine, Patient Medication Knowledge, Patient Education as Topic, Pharmacies, Surveys and Questionnaires, Qualitative Research, Sweden
Abstract
Background: Information in society and in health care is currently undergoing a transition from paper to digital formats, and the main source of information will probably be electronic in the future.
Objective: To explore patients’ use and perceptions of the patient information leaflet included in the medication package, and their attitude towards a transition to an electronic version.
Methods: The data was collected during October to November 2014 among individuals in South-Eastern Sweden, using a questionnaire (n=406, response rate 78%) and interviews (n=15).
Results: The questionnaire showed that the majority of the respondents (52%) occasionally read the patient information leaflet, 37% always read it, and 11% never read it. Almost half of the patients (41%) were positive towards reading the patient information leaflet electronically while 32% were hesitant and 26% neutral. A majority of the patients would request to get the patient information leaflet printed at the pharmacy if it was not included in the package. There were differences in attitude related to age and gender. The interviews showed that patients had mixed views on a transition to an electronic patient information leaflet. The patients perceived several positive aspects with an electronic patient information leaflet but were concerned about elderly patients.
Conclusion: Although many were positive towards reading the patient information leaflet electronically, the majority prefer the patient information leaflet in paper form. Providing appropriate and useful eHealth services for patients to access the patient information leaflet electronically, along with education, could prepare patients for a transition to electronic patient information leaflet.
References
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27. Kreps GL, Neuhauser L. New directions in eHealth communication: opportunities and challenges. Patient Educ Couns. 2010;78(3):329-336. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2010.01.013
28. Mosa AS, Yoo I, Sheets L. A systematic review of healthcare applications for smartphones. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak. 2012;12:67. doi: 10.1186/1472-6947-12-67
29. Hammar T, Nyström S, Petersson G, Åstrand B, Rydberg T. Patients satisfied with ePrescribing in Sweden: a survey of a nationwide implementation. J Pharm Health Serv Res. 2011;2(2):97-105. doi: 10.1111/j.1759-8893.2011.00040.x
30. Scandurra I, Holgersson J, Lind T, Myreteg G. Development of Patient Access to Electronic Health Records as a Step towards Ubiquitous Public eHealth. European Journal of ePractice. 2013(20).
31. Kierkegaard P. E-Prescription across Europe. Health and Technology. 2012;3(3):205-19.
32. Hamrosi KK, Raynor DK, Aslani P. Pharmacist, general practitioner and consumer use of written medicine information in Australia: are they on the same page? Res Social Adm Pharm. 2014;10(4):656-668. doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2013.10.002
33. Raynor DK, Blenkinsopp A, Knapp P, Grime J, Nicolson DJ, Pollock K, Dorer G, Gilbody S, Dickinson D, Maule AJ, Spoor P. A systematic review of quantitative and qualitative research on the role and effectiveness of written information available to patients about individual medicines. Health Technol Assess. 2007;11(5):1-160.
34. Blanck A, Nyblom K. Package leaflets today: a betrayal of Europe's patients. Script Regul Aff. 2012;(Aug):16-7.
35. EFPIA. Position on shortcomings of the Summary of Product Characteristics and the Package Leaflet and proposals to resolve them. EFPIA (European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations); 2014.
36. Hamrosi KK, Raynor DK, Aslani P. Enhancing provision of written medicine information in Australia: pharmacist, general practitioner and consumer perceptions of the barriers and facilitators. BMC Health Serv Res. 2014;14:183. doi: 10.1186/1472-6963-14-183
37. Peterson-Clark G, Aslani P, Williams KA. Pharmacists' online information literacy: an assessment of their use of Internet-based medicines information. Health Info Libr J. 2010;27(3):208-216. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-1842.2010.00891.x
38. Graneheim UH, Lundman B. Qualitative content analysis in nursing research: concepts, procedures and measures to achieve trustworthiness. Nurse Educ Today. 2004;24(2):105-112.
39. Sandelowski M. Whatever happened to qualitative description? Res Nurs Health. 2000;23(4):334-340.
40. Holappa M, Ahonen R, Vainio K, Hameen-Anttila K. Information sources used by parents to learn about medications they are giving their children. Res Social Adm Pharm. 2012;8(6):579-584. doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2012.01.003
41. Narhi U. Sources of medicine information and their reliability evaluated by medicine users. Pharm World Sci. 2007;29(6):688-694.
42. Thompson S, Stewart K. Older persons' opinions about, and sources of, prescription drug information. The International journal of pharmacy practice. 2001;9(3):153-162. doi: 10.1111/j.2042-7174.2001.tb01043.x
43. Trewin VF, Veitch GB. Patient sources of drug information and attitudes to their provision: a corticosteroid model. Pharm World Sci. 2003;25(5):191-196.
44. Gustafsson J, Kalvemark S, Nilsson G, Nilsson JL. Patient information leaflets--patients' comprehension of information about interactions and contraindications. Pharm World Sci. 2005;27(1):35-40.
45. Hamrosi KK, Aslani P, Raynor DK. Beyond needs and expectations: identifying the barriers and facilitators to written medicine information provision and use in Australia. Health Expect. 2014;17(2):220-231. doi: 10.1111/j.1369-7625.2011.00753.x
46. Raynor DK. User testing in developing patient medication information in Europe. Res Social Adm Pharm. 2013;9(5):640-645. doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2013.02.007
47. Chesser A, Burke A, Reyes J, Rohrberg T. Navigating the digital divide: a systematic review of eHealth literacy in underserved populations in the United States. Inform Health Soc Care. 2016;41(1):1-19. doi: 10.3109/17538157.2014.948171
48. Frisk P, Kalvemark-Sporrong S, Wettermark B. Selection bias in pharmacy-based patient surveys. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2014;23(2):128-139. doi: 10.1002/pds.3488
2. Schwappach DL, Mulders V, Simic D, Wilm S, Thurmann PA. Is less more? Patients' preferences for drug information leaflets. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2011;20(9):987-995. doi: 10.1002/pds.2212
3. Ekedahl A, Hoffman M. Patients' information on their prescribed current treatment. J Pharm Health Serv Res. 2012;3(2):79-84. doi: 10.1111/j.1759-8893.2012.00086.x
4. Hammar T. eMedication – improving medication management using information technology. [Doctoral dissertation]. Kalmar: Linnaeus University; 2014.
5. Topinkova E, Baeyens JP, Michel JP, Lang PO. Evidence-based strategies for the optimization of pharmacotherapy in older people. Drugs Aging. 2012;29(6):477-494. doi: 10.2165/11632400-000000000-00000
6. Vermeire E, Hearnshaw H, Van Royen P, Denekens J. Patient adherence to treatment: three decades of research. A comprehensive review. J Clin Pharm Ther. 2001;26(5):331-342.
7. Kessels RP. Patients' memory for medical information. J R Soc Med. 2003;96(5):219-222.
8. Kenny T, Wilson RG, Purves IN, Clark J Sr, Newton LD, Newton DP, Moseley DV. A PIL for every ill? Patient information leaflets (PILs): a review of past, present and future use. Fam Pract. 1998;15(5):471-479.
9. Koo MM, Krass I, Aslani P. Factors influencing consumer use of written drug information. Ann Pharmacother. 2003;37(2):259-267.
10. Treweek SP. Computer-generated Patient Education Materials: Do They Affect Professional Practice?: A Systematic Review. J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2002;9(4):346-358.
11. Bjerrum L, Foged A. Patient information leaflets--helpful guidance or a source of confusion? Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2003;12(1):55-59.
12. Herber OR, Gies V, Schwappach D, Thurmann P, Wilm S. Patient information leaflets: informing or frightening? A focus group study exploring patients' emotional reactions and subsequent behavior towards package leaflets of commonly prescribed medications in family practices. BMC Fam Pract. 2014;15:163. doi: 10.1186/1471-2296-15-163
13. Nathan JP, Zerilli T, Cicero LA, Rosenberg JM. Patients' use and perception of medication information leaflets. Ann Pharmacother. 2007;41(5):777-782.
14. Liu F, Abdul-Hussain S, Mahboob S, Rai V, Kostrzewski A. How useful are medication patient information leaflets to older adults? A content, readability and layout analysis. Int J Clin Pharm. 2014;36(4):827-834. doi: 10.1007/s11096-014-9973-2
15. Pander Maat H, Lentz L. Improving the usability of patient information leaflets. Patient Educ Couns. 2010;80(1):113-119. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2009.09.030
16. Berry DC, Raynor DK, Knapp P, Bersellini E. Patients' understanding of risk associated with medication use: impact of European Commission guidelines and other risk scales. Drug Saf. 2003;26(1):1-11.
17. communication with Kristina von Sydow, manager FASS, LIF (de forskande läkemedelsföretagen) By: Hammar T, editor. 2015.
18. Powell JA, Darvell M, Gray JA. The doctor, the patient and the world-wide web: how the internet is changing healthcare. J R Soc Med. 2003;96(2):74-76.
19. Bylund CL, Gueguen JA, Sabee CM, Imes RS, Li Y, Sanford AA. Provider-patient dialogue about Internet health information: an exploration of strategies to improve the provider-patient relationship. Patient Educ Couns. 2007;66(3):346-352.
20. Kim KY, Metzger A, Wigle PR, Choe PJ. Evaluation of online consumer medication information. Res Social Adm Pharm. 2011;7(2):202-207. doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2010.04.003
21. McMullan M. Patients using the Internet to obtain health information: how this affects the patient-health professional relationship. Patient Educ Couns. 2006;63(1-2):24-28.
22. Eysenbach G, Powell J, Kuss O, Sa ER. Empirical studies assessing the quality of health information for consumers on the world wide web: a systematic review. JAMA. 2002;287(20):2691-2700.
23. Naik Panvelkar P, Saini B. Measurements of patient satisfaction with community pharmacy services: A review. Pharm World Sci. 2009;31(5):525-537. doi: 10.1007/s11096-009-9311-2
24. Asadi-Lari M, Tamburini M, Gray D. Patients' needs, satisfaction, and health related quality of life: towards a comprehensive model. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2004;2:32.
25. Robben S, van Kempen J, Heinen M, Zuidema S, Olde Rikkert M, Schers H, Melis R. Preferences for receiving information among frail older adults and their informal caregivers: a qualitative study. Fam Pract. 2012;29(6):742-747. doi: 10.1093/fampra/cms033
26. Odukoya OK, Chui MA. e-Prescribing: characterisation of patient safety hazards in community pharmacies using a sociotechnical systems approach. BMJ Qual Saf. 2013;22(10):816-825. doi: 10.1136/bmjqs-2013-001834
27. Kreps GL, Neuhauser L. New directions in eHealth communication: opportunities and challenges. Patient Educ Couns. 2010;78(3):329-336. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2010.01.013
28. Mosa AS, Yoo I, Sheets L. A systematic review of healthcare applications for smartphones. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak. 2012;12:67. doi: 10.1186/1472-6947-12-67
29. Hammar T, Nyström S, Petersson G, Åstrand B, Rydberg T. Patients satisfied with ePrescribing in Sweden: a survey of a nationwide implementation. J Pharm Health Serv Res. 2011;2(2):97-105. doi: 10.1111/j.1759-8893.2011.00040.x
30. Scandurra I, Holgersson J, Lind T, Myreteg G. Development of Patient Access to Electronic Health Records as a Step towards Ubiquitous Public eHealth. European Journal of ePractice. 2013(20).
31. Kierkegaard P. E-Prescription across Europe. Health and Technology. 2012;3(3):205-19.
32. Hamrosi KK, Raynor DK, Aslani P. Pharmacist, general practitioner and consumer use of written medicine information in Australia: are they on the same page? Res Social Adm Pharm. 2014;10(4):656-668. doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2013.10.002
33. Raynor DK, Blenkinsopp A, Knapp P, Grime J, Nicolson DJ, Pollock K, Dorer G, Gilbody S, Dickinson D, Maule AJ, Spoor P. A systematic review of quantitative and qualitative research on the role and effectiveness of written information available to patients about individual medicines. Health Technol Assess. 2007;11(5):1-160.
34. Blanck A, Nyblom K. Package leaflets today: a betrayal of Europe's patients. Script Regul Aff. 2012;(Aug):16-7.
35. EFPIA. Position on shortcomings of the Summary of Product Characteristics and the Package Leaflet and proposals to resolve them. EFPIA (European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations); 2014.
36. Hamrosi KK, Raynor DK, Aslani P. Enhancing provision of written medicine information in Australia: pharmacist, general practitioner and consumer perceptions of the barriers and facilitators. BMC Health Serv Res. 2014;14:183. doi: 10.1186/1472-6963-14-183
37. Peterson-Clark G, Aslani P, Williams KA. Pharmacists' online information literacy: an assessment of their use of Internet-based medicines information. Health Info Libr J. 2010;27(3):208-216. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-1842.2010.00891.x
38. Graneheim UH, Lundman B. Qualitative content analysis in nursing research: concepts, procedures and measures to achieve trustworthiness. Nurse Educ Today. 2004;24(2):105-112.
39. Sandelowski M. Whatever happened to qualitative description? Res Nurs Health. 2000;23(4):334-340.
40. Holappa M, Ahonen R, Vainio K, Hameen-Anttila K. Information sources used by parents to learn about medications they are giving their children. Res Social Adm Pharm. 2012;8(6):579-584. doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2012.01.003
41. Narhi U. Sources of medicine information and their reliability evaluated by medicine users. Pharm World Sci. 2007;29(6):688-694.
42. Thompson S, Stewart K. Older persons' opinions about, and sources of, prescription drug information. The International journal of pharmacy practice. 2001;9(3):153-162. doi: 10.1111/j.2042-7174.2001.tb01043.x
43. Trewin VF, Veitch GB. Patient sources of drug information and attitudes to their provision: a corticosteroid model. Pharm World Sci. 2003;25(5):191-196.
44. Gustafsson J, Kalvemark S, Nilsson G, Nilsson JL. Patient information leaflets--patients' comprehension of information about interactions and contraindications. Pharm World Sci. 2005;27(1):35-40.
45. Hamrosi KK, Aslani P, Raynor DK. Beyond needs and expectations: identifying the barriers and facilitators to written medicine information provision and use in Australia. Health Expect. 2014;17(2):220-231. doi: 10.1111/j.1369-7625.2011.00753.x
46. Raynor DK. User testing in developing patient medication information in Europe. Res Social Adm Pharm. 2013;9(5):640-645. doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2013.02.007
47. Chesser A, Burke A, Reyes J, Rohrberg T. Navigating the digital divide: a systematic review of eHealth literacy in underserved populations in the United States. Inform Health Soc Care. 2016;41(1):1-19. doi: 10.3109/17538157.2014.948171
48. Frisk P, Kalvemark-Sporrong S, Wettermark B. Selection bias in pharmacy-based patient surveys. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2014;23(2):128-139. doi: 10.1002/pds.3488
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Jun 26, 2016
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1.
Patients’ views on electronic patient information leaflets. Pharm Pract (Granada) [Internet]. 2016 Jun. 26 [cited 2024 Oct. 4];14(2):702. Available from: https://www.pharmacypractice.org/index.php/pp/article/view/702
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Author Biographies
Tora Hammar
Department of Medicine and OptometryAnna-Lena Nilsson
Department of Medicine and OptometryBo Hovstadius
Department of Medicine and OptometryHow to Cite
1.
Patients’ views on electronic patient information leaflets. Pharm Pract (Granada) [Internet]. 2016 Jun. 26 [cited 2024 Oct. 4];14(2):702. Available from: https://www.pharmacypractice.org/index.php/pp/article/view/702