Document Detail


Patients' understanding of prescribed drugs.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  457923     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Patients must understand their physicians' recommendations if they are to follow medical advice. This study assesses the degree to which patients and physicians share basic information about medications. Patients who regularly attended the medical clinics of a large, urban teaching hospital were asked to recall the identity, purpose, and dose schedule of medications that were prescribed for them. Patients' responses were compared to the medications actually prescribed by their physicians. Patients identified 90% of medications prescribed during the visits, knew the purpose 83%, and the correct dose schedule for 80%. Only 58% of patients knew the dosage schedule of all their medications correctly. Patients' knowledge of prescribed drugs was inversely related to the number of their medical problems and the number of medications prescribed. Lack of effective communication between physicians and patients about medications may be an important reason why patients do not follow medical advice.
Authors:
S W Fletcher; R H Fletcher; D C Thomas; C Hamann
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of community health     Volume:  4     ISSN:  0094-5145     ISO Abbreviation:  J Community Health     Publication Date:  1979  
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1979-09-17     Completed Date:  1979-09-17     Revised Date:  2008-11-21    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7600747     Medline TA:  J Community Health     Country:  UNITED STATES    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  183-9     Citation Subset:  IM    
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Aged
Drug Prescriptions*
Humans
Middle Aged
Patient Compliance*
Patient Education as Topic
Physician-Patient Relations

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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