1 Reading and Understanding a Medicine Leaflet by Adolescent Consumers and Its Determinants Siriporn Burapadaja Busabong Jamreondararasame Jaratbhan Sanguansermsri Faculty of Pharmacy Chiang Mai University

2 PROBLEM STATEMENT

3 Importance to study There is an increase of medication There are still problems of inappropriate medication A problem is that consumers have little information A leaflet is an official source of information Reading and understanding a leaflet is a way to obtain information

4 Advantages of reading and understanding of a leaflet Increasing compliance Increasing awareness of possible adverse actions Improving knowledge Preventing drug-related problems

5 Study questions Do consumers read and understand a leaflet? What are the factors affecting the consumer’s reading and understanding a leaflet ?

6 OBJECTIVE

7 To determine if consumers read and understand leaflets about medicines, and the factors affecting a consumer’s reading and understanding of a leaflet

8 DESIGN

9 Phase ALeaflet Content Design:Cross-sectional design Population:“Dangerous medicines” Community pharmacy Sampling:Purposive sampling (n=154) Analysis: Content analysis

10 WHO Guideline of the Information for a Leaflet Medicine namePrecaution CompositionContraindication IndicationAdverse effect DosageSpecific warning PropertyStorage condition Duration of treatment

11 Phase B Consumer’s reading Design:Cross-sectional design Population:University freshmen Sampling:Systematic sampling (n=348) Tool:A questionnaire Analysis:Path analysis

12 Theory:Social Cognitive Variables:Attitude Belief Personal influence Availability Access Content barrier Self-efficacy Reading a leaflet

13 Phase C Consumer’s understanding Design:A two-group experiment An original leaflet : A leaflet was selected from the sample based on -separating from its label -having one composition -having at least 9 topics

14 A new leaflet was developed by using the same content but different design Criteria for easily understood leaflet: Using simple words Emphasizing critical words Separating sentence into items Putting content in order

15 A 24-item Test A test for content understanding This test covered the leaflet content It had 24 items Each item had three choices A correct choice was given a score The total possible score was 24

16 Original New Group 1 Group 2 A 24-item test of understanding

17 RESULTS

18 Phase A Presence of topic Topic% leaflet Dosage99.3 Name97.4 Indication96.7 Composition59.7 Specific warning43.5

19 Topic% leaflet Precaution40.2 Property39.6 Duration33.1 Contraindication29.9 Adverse effect25.3 Storage condition20.8

20 1Almost all leaflets contained less information than that suggested by WHO 2There were technical terms that might be difficult to understand 3A separate leaflet would have more information

21 Phase B 1 Percentage of reading

22 2Factors affecting the reading 2.1Direct factors Access to a leaflet Self-efficacy to read a leaflet 2.2Indirect factors (via self-efficacy) Content difficult to understand Access to a leaflet

23 Group 1Group 2 Phase C Understanding level and a relevant factor

24 CONCLUSIONS

25 Most consumers seldom read a leaflet regularly when buying or taking a medicine because of little access to it and low self-efficacy to read difficult content The consumer’s understanding of a leaflet was unsatisfactory because of content difficult to understand

26 There were shortages of leaflet Little access to a leaflet Content difficult to understand Insufficient information These shortages should be improved in order that consumers could read and understand a leaflet

27 Reasons to improve the leaflets To empower consumers in caring for their medication and health To provide more access to information on medication To create a supportive leaflet To guarantee health care provision

28 SUGGESTIONS A leaflet should be separate from its label A leaflet should be understandable by passing a test of understanding Like a label, a leaflet should have a standard information for consumers

29 Thank you for your attention