van Beusekom Mara M, Land-Zandstra Anne M, Bos Mark J W, van den Broek Jos M, Guchelaar Henk-Jan
Clinical Pharmacy & Toxicology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands; Science Communication & Society, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Science Communication & Society, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Patient Educ Couns. 2017 May;100(5):966-973. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2016.12.015. Epub 2016 Dec 19.
This study aims to (1) evaluate ten pharmaceutical pictograms for low-literate patients on understandability, (2) assess the risk of false confidence in understanding, and (3) identify how the design can be improved to increase understandability.
Interviews were conducted with n=197 pharmacy visitors in the Netherlands. Additional qualitative discussions were held with n=30 adequately and n=25 low-literate participants (assessed with REALM-D). Qualitative data were analysed using the Thematic Framework approach.
Half of the pictograms reached 67% understanding (31.0%-98.5%); two did in the low-literate group. Three pictograms showed a risk for false confidence. Pictograms appeared to be most effective when people were familiar with their visual elements and messages.
Low-literate people have more difficulty understanding pictograms than people with adequate literacy. While the risk of false confidence is low, for critical safety information, 67% understanding might not be sufficient. Design strategies for pharmaceutical pictograms should focus on familiarity, simplicity, and showing the intake and effect of medicine.
Health professionals should go over the meaning of pictograms when providing drug information to patients to increase patients' familiarity with the message and to ensure that all pictograms are sufficiently understood.
本研究旨在（1）评估十种针对低文化水平患者的药品象形图的可理解性，（2）评估理解过程中过度自信的风险，以及（3）确定如何改进设计以提高可理解性。
对荷兰197名药房访客进行了访谈。另外与30名文化水平足够的参与者和25名低文化水平参与者（用REALM-D评估）进行了定性讨论。使用主题框架法对定性数据进行了分析。
一半的象形图达到了67%的理解率（31.0%-98.5%）；低文化水平组中只有两个达到了这一水平。三个象形图显示存在过度自信的风险。当人们熟悉象形图的视觉元素和信息时，象形图似乎最有效。
低文化水平的人比文化水平足够的人更难理解象形图。虽然过度自信的风险较低，但对于关键的安全信息，67%的理解率可能不够。药品象形图的设计策略应侧重于熟悉度、简洁性以及展示药物的服用方法和效果。
医疗专业人员在向患者提供药物信息时，应讲解象形图的含义，以增加患者对信息的熟悉度，并确保所有象形图都能被充分理解。
