A PROSPECTIVE STUDY ON AWARENESS OF PATIENTS’ MEDICATION KNOWLEDGE IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL
Dr. Syed Aseem*, Dr. Pawan Kumar, Dr. Khaja Zeeyauddin, Dr. Mohd Israr Uddin, Dr. Maryam Fatima, Dr. Aisha Ateeq
ABSTRACT
In recent years, outpatients are considered to be active receivers of drug therapy and patients’ medication knowledge plays a pivotal role in the disease management, as it was shown to be positively correlated with a higher quality of life, adherence to treatment, and attainment of favourable clinical outcomes. Medication knowledge is the primary outcome. It has previously been shown that a medication plan enhanced with graphical and textual information on drug handling (enhanced medication plan) proved to immediately increase patients’ drug knowledge. Patients’ drug administration errors are often promoted by poor drug knowledge resulting from inadequate oral or written information. Patients’ insufficient or wrong knowledge regarding the medication they use may vary and probably lead to the incorrect use of the latter, thus causing a decrease in its efficacy, or the appearance of other health problems. Patients’ knowledge enhances active participation in therapy, thus increasing adherence and ultimately leading to better treatment outcomes. The primary aim of this study was to assess the impact of patient medication counselling by comparing the levels of patient’s medication knowledge achieved by medication counselling in an outpatient clinic. This study was conducted to analyze the prescription. To assess patients’ medication knowledge before and after counselling. Role of Clinical pharmacist through counselling was found to be more effective for improving patients’ knowledge and understanding of prescribed medications and their factors. These techniques were valuable in helping to reduce incidence of recurrent adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and improve adherence to the regimen. Objective: The purpose of the study was to analyze the prescription, to assess patients’ medication knowledge before and after counselling Method: A prospective observational study was conducted over a period of 1 Year from January 2019 to December 2019 in a tertiary care hospital. Patients attending to the out-patient department of general medicine and paediatric were selected randomly and enrolled into the study by considering the study criteria. Patient Informed consent will was taken from each patient at the time of enrolment into the study. A detail regarding patient demography and medication was collected from the case sheets and patient counselling was noted in a suitably designed patient data collection pro forma. The data collected was analyzed through a data collection form and documented. Results: Our study showed suboptimal medication-related knowledge and suboptimal patients’ interaction and understanding of the prescribed medications. Although lack of awareness is common, most of the patients were unaware of their diagnosis and medications. Among older patients with Polypharmacy, only a minority of them correctly reported the indications for all prescribed drugs they were taking. Conclusion: Patients in this study showed a serious knowledge deficiency about medicine considerations and adverse effects. Patients were considered knowledgeable after counselling if they could at least name three items (e.g. indications, adverse effects and time). Many patients in this study stated they did not receive counselling about important medication information at their most recent pharmacy visit. Nevertheless, patients rated pharmacist counselling 4.5 out of 5 on averages, and 80% of those surveyed assessed counselling with the highest possible score. Despite expressing a need for further information, especially about safety issues, patients seemed satisfied with the clinical pharmacist counselling they received. Role of clinical pharmacist: Clinical Pharmacists’ counselling after the visit to physician improved patients’ knowledge about the prescribed medications and their factors along with medication adherence. Efforts should be to extend the role of the pharmacist and its positive effect on patient outcome. Other factors (e.g. psychosocial and lack of time) likely play more important roles in medication adherence and should be targeted in future interventional strategies to optimize medication adherence.
Keywords: Role of Clinical Pharmacist, Patients’ medication awareness, Patients’ medication knowledge before and after counselling.
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