TY - JOUR
T1 - Patients' perceptions of conflicting information on chronic medications
T2 - a prospective survey in Switzerland
AU - Santos, Beatriz
AU - Blondon, Katherine S.
AU - Van Gessel, Elisabeth
AU - Cerutti, Bernard
AU - Backes, Claudine
AU - Locher, Sophie
AU - Guignard, Bertrand
AU - Bonnabry, Pascal
AU - Carpenter, Delesha
AU - Schneider, Marie P.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.
PY - 2022/11/3
Y1 - 2022/11/3
N2 - Objective The number of patients with chronic diseases and subsequent visits to various healthcare professionals has been rising over the past decades, exposing patients to potential risks of receiving conflicting medication information. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of conflicting information on medications perceived by chronic patients in Switzerland and to understand its impact on patients' medication self-management and navigation in the healthcare system. Participants This cross-sectional study included adult patients taking at least one prescribed medication for at least 6 months, who had visited at least two physicians in the past 3 months. Main outcome measures Data on patients' perceptions of conflicting information were collected in person through a 17-item questionnaire available on paper and electronically with four domains: (1) whether the patient had perceived any conflicting information, (2) categories of conflicting information, (3) impact and (4) sources involved in the conflicting information. Results Of the 405 included patients, 47% perceived conflicting information related to one or more medication topics including indication, schedule, dosage, risk, severity or duration of side effects. Patients who perceived conflicting information were prescribed more drugs than those perceiving no conflicting information (p<0.01). Consequently, 65% of the participants modified their navigation of the healthcare system and 34% reported medication non-adherence. General practitioners (82%), specialist physicians (74%) and pharmacists (49%) were the healthcare professionals most often involved in conflicting information. Experience with the medication, its package insert and significant others were more frequently involved in conflicting information than internet or social media. Conclusion Nearly half the patients in our study perceived conflicting information in the outpatient healthcare system, which can decrease medication effectiveness and pose safety issues. This issue is widely overlooked and unaddressed. Consistency of information among healthcare providers in partnership with patients should be reinforced through guidelines and new models of interprofessional care.
AB - Objective The number of patients with chronic diseases and subsequent visits to various healthcare professionals has been rising over the past decades, exposing patients to potential risks of receiving conflicting medication information. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of conflicting information on medications perceived by chronic patients in Switzerland and to understand its impact on patients' medication self-management and navigation in the healthcare system. Participants This cross-sectional study included adult patients taking at least one prescribed medication for at least 6 months, who had visited at least two physicians in the past 3 months. Main outcome measures Data on patients' perceptions of conflicting information were collected in person through a 17-item questionnaire available on paper and electronically with four domains: (1) whether the patient had perceived any conflicting information, (2) categories of conflicting information, (3) impact and (4) sources involved in the conflicting information. Results Of the 405 included patients, 47% perceived conflicting information related to one or more medication topics including indication, schedule, dosage, risk, severity or duration of side effects. Patients who perceived conflicting information were prescribed more drugs than those perceiving no conflicting information (p<0.01). Consequently, 65% of the participants modified their navigation of the healthcare system and 34% reported medication non-adherence. General practitioners (82%), specialist physicians (74%) and pharmacists (49%) were the healthcare professionals most often involved in conflicting information. Experience with the medication, its package insert and significant others were more frequently involved in conflicting information than internet or social media. Conclusion Nearly half the patients in our study perceived conflicting information in the outpatient healthcare system, which can decrease medication effectiveness and pose safety issues. This issue is widely overlooked and unaddressed. Consistency of information among healthcare providers in partnership with patients should be reinforced through guidelines and new models of interprofessional care.
KW - GENERAL MEDICINE (see Internal Medicine)
KW - Health & safety
KW - PRIMARY CARE
KW - Quality in health care
KW - THERAPEUTICS
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85141302716&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36328384
U2 - 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-060083
DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-060083
M3 - Article
C2 - 36328384
AN - SCOPUS:85141302716
SN - 2044-6055
VL - 12
JO - BMJ Open
JF - BMJ Open
IS - 11
M1 - e060083
ER -