University of Michigan College of Pharmacy, 428 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1065, USA.
Res Dev Disabil. 2023 Jul;138:104534. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2023.104534. Epub 2023 May 22.
BACKGROUND/AIMS/METHODS: Medication information is available from many sources. This short report provides a simple description of where caregivers of people with intellectual/developmental disability (IDD) obtain medication information, and compares these sources between family caregivers and direct support professionals (DSP).
PROCEDURES/OUTCOMES: Cross-sectional study design using an internet-based survey of caregivers, aged 18 years or older, who provided support to adults with IDD. The primary outcome is the source of medication information reported by caregivers.
RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: Eighty-nine caregivers responded. Health care professionals were the primary source (87.6 %) of medication information, followed by the internet (77.5 %). There was no difference between caregiver groups for these two sources. The prescription label/information sheet was the next most common source (56.2 %), with significantly more family (76.2 %) versus DSP (38.3 %), p < 0.001. A medication reference was also common (43.8 %), with 28.6 % of family and 57.4 % of DSP, p = 0.006. House manager/nurse was next, with 16.9 %, and television/radio as a source (10.1 %), no difference between groups. Lastly, friends or coworkers were 7.9 %, with no DSP endorsing this option, p = 0.006.
Caregivers obtain medication information from a variety of sources, with health care professionals being the primary source. The internet was also very common, which may be worrisome, due to the wide range of level of quality of information available. Educational interventions should be developed to provide caregivers with tools to be able identify and use legitimate medication information.
背景/目的/方法：药物信息可从多个来源获得。本简短报告提供了一个简单的描述，说明智障/发育障碍（IDD）患者的照顾者从何处获取药物信息，并比较了家庭照顾者和直接支持专业人员（DSP）之间的这些来源。
程序/结果：使用基于互联网的问卷调查了年龄在 18 岁或以上的 IDD 成年患者的照顾者，这是一项横断面研究设计。主要结果是照顾者报告的药物信息来源。
结果/结论：89 位照顾者做出了回应。医疗保健专业人员是药物信息的主要来源（87.6%），其次是互联网（77.5%）。这两个来源在照顾者群体之间没有差异。下一个最常见的来源是处方标签/信息表（56.2%），家庭（76.2%）明显多于 DSP（38.3%），p<0.001。药物参考也很常见（43.8%），家庭中有 28.6%，DSP 中有 57.4%，p=0.006。接下来是房屋经理/护士（16.9%），电视/广播作为信息来源（10.1%），两组之间没有差异。最后，朋友或同事为 7.9%，没有 DSP 认可此选项，p=0.006。
照顾者从多种来源获取药物信息，医疗保健专业人员是主要来源。互联网也非常普遍，这可能令人担忧，因为可用信息的质量水平范围很广。应该开发教育干预措施，为照顾者提供工具，以便能够识别和使用合法的药物信息。
