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Knowledge of prescribed drugs among primary care patients: findings from Prover Project

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Abstract

Background Evidence on patient medication knowledge and associated factors within primary care patients is limited, especially in developing countries. Objective To estimate the prevalence and investigate the role of individual and contextual factors on insufficient medication knowledge among primary care patients. Setting Public community pharmacies in a health pole city (234,937 inhab.) in Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Methods Exit-survey conducted with a representative sample of 1221 patients (≥ 18 years) interviewed after dispensing. Data collected for medicines included its name, therapeutic indication, dosage, time of administration, treatment duration, side effects and warnings. Information were compared to the prescription and official guidelines. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were applied. Main outcome measure Insufficient patient medication knowledge. Results Prevalence of insufficient medication knowledge was 30.1%. Side effects (96.3%) and warnings (71.1%) had the highest percentage of misses. Musculoskeletal system drugs presented the lowest knowledge score (mean = 5.9; SD = 1.9). Significant determinants of insufficient medication knowledge with respective odds ratio (OR) were: level of education (≤ 3 years, OR 1.50; 95% CI 1.06–2.11 and 4–7 years, OR 1.37; 95% CI 1.02–1.84), number of comorbidities (≤ 2, OR 1.36; 95% CI 1.04–1.77), use of prescription drugs in the last 15 days (no, OR 2.22; 95% CI 1.31–3.76) and number of people able to lend money (no person, OR 1.34; 95% CI 1.04–1.74). Conclusion Counselling and monitoring practices should be tailored to patients with less schooling, that are initiating treatment and with low disease burden. Equally important is the need to implement strategies to increase the patient’s level of social capital to improve treatment knowledge.

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Availability of data and materials

The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are not publicly available due to ethical reasons. These data are individual-level data so contain potentially identifying or sensitive patient information.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Prover Project’ research team. Daniela S. Portes for the development of educational material for patients. André Luiz N. Alves, Felipe Z. Botrel, Helen Cristina M. Silva, Laíssa Daniele Gomes, Liliane D. Campos, Rayssa Estefane C. Silva, Tayná B. Xavier and Viviane A. Faria for interviewing patients. Samuel R.A. Sousa for supervising data collection. Laís L. Pantuza, Camila T. Sousa, Ana Karine S. Castro and Isabela Cristina Marques for data entry, quality check and database preparation. The authors also would like to thank the Municipal Health Secretariat and its managers and health professionals for supporting the development of the project and to Fiocruz and Fapemig for the financial support.

Funding

This study was supported by grants from Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz/PAPES VII, Grant number 401792/2015-3) and from Minas Gerais State Research Support Foundation (Universal Fapemig, Grant Number APQ-01656-16).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz Minas), Av Augusto de Lima, 1715, Anexo, Barro Preto, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, 30190-009, Brazil

    Leila Cristina Passagli, Betania Barros Cota, Taynãna César Simões & Tatiana Chama Borges Luz

  2. Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Strathclyde University, Glasgow, UK

    Tatiana Chama Borges Luz

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  1. Leila Cristina Passagli
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  2. Betania Barros Cota
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Correspondence to Tatiana Chama Borges Luz.

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Passagli, L.C., Barros Cota, B., César Simões, T. et al. Knowledge of prescribed drugs among primary care patients: findings from Prover Project. Int J Clin Pharm 43, 1265–1273 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-021-01246-x

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