Goldsworthy Richard C, Schwartz Nancy C, Mayhorn Christopher B
Academic Edge, Inc., Bloomington, Indiana 47407-5307, USA.
J Adolesc Health. 2008 Jun;42(6):617-25. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2007.11.141. Epub 2008 Mar 4.
Warnings are an important component of pharmaceutical risk mitigation efforts, yet very little research attention has been directed toward adolescent interpretation of such warnings. This study examined adolescents' interpretations of and preferences for warning symbols and statements related to pharmaceuticals with teratogenic properties.
A total of 200 adolescents interpreted one of four warning symbols and four warning statements. Responses were coded using an established three-tier coding system. Symbol preferences were elicited. Interpretation accuracy and symbol preferences were analyzed by symbol and statement.
The symbol in use on medication labels at the time of the study elicited nearly goal levels of interpretation accuracy; however it exceeded allowable levels of critical confusion. An alternative symbol elicited more fully correct responses than the existing symbol and was preferred to the existing symbol by a margin of 2 to 1. Yet another symbol was most preferred despite eliciting fewer correct interpretations. The impact of warning statements on overall warning interpretation varied by statement and statement-symbol combinations. At least one statement appeared to lessen the overall message of caution, and few adolescents expressed an awareness of risk if one "may become pregnant" until explicitly informed of this risk.
Comprehension of medical warning symbols and statements among adolescents is an important public health issue. Those involved in adolescent health education and research have considerable theoretical and practical tools for approaching the development and evaluation of such warning messages. Understanding how warnings are interpreted can lead to more effective communication efforts and reduce risk.
警示是药物风险缓解措施的重要组成部分，但很少有研究关注青少年对这类警示的理解。本研究考察了青少年对与具有致畸特性药物相关的警示符号和声明的理解及偏好。
共有200名青少年解读了四个警示符号之一和四条警示声明。使用既定的三层编码系统对回答进行编码。引出了符号偏好。按符号和声明分析解读准确性和符号偏好。
研究时药物标签上使用的符号引出了接近目标水平的解读准确性；然而，它超过了可接受的严重混淆水平。一个替代符号引出的完全正确回答比现有符号更多，并且比现有符号更受青睐，比例为2比1。尽管引出的正确解读较少，但另一个符号最受青睐。警示声明对整体警示解读的影响因声明及声明 - 符号组合而异。至少有一条声明似乎削弱了整体的警示信息，并且在未明确告知风险之前，很少有青少年表示意识到如果“可能怀孕”会有风险。
青少年对医疗警示符号和声明的理解是一个重要的公共卫生问题。参与青少年健康教育和研究的人员在处理此类警示信息的开发和评估方面拥有大量理论和实践工具。了解警示如何被解读可以带来更有效的沟通努力并降低风险。
