Bennin Fiona, Rother Hanna-Andrea
School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Patient Educ Couns. 2015 Mar;98(3):331-7. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2014.11.025. Epub 2014 Dec 10.
To determine whether caregivers are able to make informed decisions about their families' use of over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers through access to and use of three mechanisms of information provision.
A cross sectional, face-to-face questionnaire was administered to 60 caregivers and seven pharmacists in Cape Town, South Africa. Caregivers answered questions related to paracetamol (acetaminophen) labels, inserts and Patient Information Leaflets (PIL).
Most study caregivers received labels with the painkillers they purchased. Many pharmacists (43%) felt that the information provided was ineffective in preventing overdosing. Study caregivers found it difficult to understand the scientific terms in all three mechanisms of information provision. Most respondents (80%) found the PIL easiest to understand, yet few had received PILs with their purchase. Ten percent of literate respondents were unable to understand the dosage requirements for children.
Most caregivers are not able to make informed decisions from the information provided with OTC painkillers. This is mostly attributable to limited provision of information and low health literacy.
Written information with OTC medications in simple language and verbal counselling at dispensaries would play a significant role in increasing the health literacy of especially at risk populations of over-dosing their children.
通过获取和使用三种信息提供机制，确定照顾者是否能够就其家庭使用非处方（OTC）止痛药做出明智的决定。
对南非开普敦的60名照顾者和7名药剂师进行了横断面面对面问卷调查。照顾者回答了与对乙酰氨基酚标签、说明书和患者信息单页（PIL）相关的问题。
大多数参与研究的照顾者收到了他们购买的止痛药的标签。许多药剂师（43%）认为所提供的信息在预防过量用药方面效果不佳。参与研究的照顾者发现难以理解所有三种信息提供机制中的科学术语。大多数受访者（80%）认为患者信息单页最容易理解，但很少有人在购买时收到过患者信息单页。10%有读写能力的受访者无法理解儿童的剂量要求。
大多数照顾者无法根据非处方止痛药提供的信息做出明智的决定。这主要归因于信息提供有限和健康素养较低。
用简单语言编写的非处方药物书面信息以及药房的口头咨询，对于提高尤其是有给孩子过量用药风险人群的健康素养将发挥重要作用。
