Patients' views of general practitioners' provision of medicine information leaflets

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Giving patients medicine information leaflets with oral information could help improve patient understanding about their medicines. Some health professionals believe patients do not want to receive leaflets or find them too difficult to understand so do not provide them. AIM: To investigate Dunedin general practitioners' (GPs) provision of medicine information leaflets from patients' reports and to examine patient views about the leaflets provided. METHODS: Patients collecting prescriptions from community pharmacies in Dunedin, New Zealand, between December 2016 and February 2017 were asked to complete a survey. Responses were entered into SurveyMonkey and data were exported into Excel for analysis. RESULTS: Of the 151 survey respondents, over three-quarters (79%) did not receive a medicine information leaflet from their GP in the last 6 months, although most believed it important to receive one. Many participants felt that leaflets improved their knowledge and helped them take their medication correctly. Most participants liked the leaflets they received, although over half (60%) would like a short summary leaflet. Patients did not commonly search for more information than their GP provided. DISCUSSION: Some patients may not seek further information about their medicines other than during consultation. Although rarely given, most participants who received leaflets from their GP appreciated them. Most participants read and understood leaflets they were provided, although ready access to a one- to two-page summary leaflet may be preferable. Technology could enable GPs to easily provide leaflets to patients in their care.