ASSESSMENT OF PATIENT’S UNDERSTANDING AND MEDICATION ADHERENCE FOR LABELS ACCORDING TO RATIONAL DRUG USE HOSPITAL PROJECT

Authors

  • Jariya Sangsrikam Pharmacy Department and Consumer Protection, Ranod hospital, Songkhla
  • Sanguan Lerkiatbundit Department of Pharmacy Administration, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla
  • Woranuch Saengcharoen Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14456/tbps.2020.9

Keywords:

label, rational drug use hospital project, understanding, recall, medication adherence

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to assess patients’ understanding, recall and medication adherence of labels according to the Rational Drug Use (RDU) hospital project developed by the University Hospital Network (UHosNet), Thailand, in comparison with the former format of hospital’s labels. This study was an experimental design and consisted of 2 parts. The first part focused on understanding RDU labels for acute illness medication (153 patients in the study group and 153 patients in the control group). The second part focused on understanding RDU labels, recall and medication adherence for chronic disease medicines (60 patients in the study group and 60 patients in the control group). The results showed that in acute illness and chronic disease medication, the study group was significantly better at understanding generic names than the control group (p<0.001), but had a significantly less understanding of the need for taking medication with meals than the control group (p<0.001). In terms of recalling information on labels of chronic disease medication, the labels were divided into 2 categories: 1. started/adjusted medications and 2. non-adjusted medications. The study group had a significantly better recall of generic names than the control group did in categories 1 (p=0.026), but had a significantly less recall of the need for taking medicines with meals than the control group in both categories 1 (p=0.031) and categories 2 (p<0.001). The study group and the control group were not significantly different in adherence to medications (p>0.05). In conclusion, the data obtained from this study should lead to the improvement of labels according to the RDU hospital project which should specify the generic name of the medications and how to take the medication in relation to the meals. If any type of medication is not related to the meals, the labels should state the message "This medicine is not required to be taken with meals". It would help patients better understand drug administration and may result in better medication adherence.

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Published

2020-06-11

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Original Research Articles