Development and evaluation of a survey tool to explore patients' perceptions of their prescribed drugs and their need for drug information

Abstract

Abstract Objective To explore the effect of providing information about their prescribed drugs on patients' perceptions and use of the drugs. Method A survey tool was administered to 501 general medical patients in their own homes during a trial to reduce discrepancies between supplies of hospital prescribed drugs and those received in the community following hospital discharge. The patient sample was randomly recruited into two cohorts: 264 in the intervention group (given information regarding drugs prescribed on discharge from hospital to take to their community pharmacy) and 237 in the comparison group. Responses to the survey were explored to assess any effects on patients of providing such information. Setting Domiciliary visits to general medical patients in East London. Key findings The survey tool was subjected to factor analysis and reliability testing. Principal components analysis (PCA) was used to extract five factors that described an intrinsic desire for information, perceived impact of the illness, perceived utility of medicines, anxiety about illness and worry about changes to medicines. Internal consistency was good, ranging from 0.8 to 0.91 (Cronbach's coefficient alpha). Interconstruct relationships between the scales, patient demographics and the two cohorts were explored. The findings indicated that the degree of patient empowerment is related to two constructs: “intrinsic desire for information” and “worry about changes to medicines.” Patients who expressed a low degree of worry about changes and a high desire for information about their drugs seemed less worried and more empowered when given additional information. Conversely, those who expressed worries about changes in their medicines and did not want information about their medicines (were happy knowing little) seemed more worried and less empowered when given additional information about those changes. Conclusion Further exploration of relationships between patient perceptions and information provision is needed to influence appropriately the development of pharmaceutical care between hospital and community.