Developing a Drug Information Leaflet of Antihypertensives for Senior Citizens; Employing Performance-based User-testing.
- Author:
Jin KIM
1
;
Iyn Hyang LEE
Author Information
1. College of Pharmacy, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea. leeiynhyang@ynu.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Drug safety;
health literacy;
patient information leaflet;
antihypertensives;
elderly;
performance-based user testing
- MeSH:
Aged;
Antihypertensive Agents*;
Blood Pressure;
Ethics Committees, Research;
Focus Groups;
Health Literacy;
Humans;
Literacy;
Methods
- From:Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
2016;26(3):254-263
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: Written information could be helpful for senior population to adhere to complex medication therapies, but must be well prepared and empirically assessed to achieve such end. We purposed to develop a drug information leaflet for senior citizens by applying 'performance-based user-testing.' METHODS: We employed a user-testing, a mixed method to figure difficulties out with patients' leaflets from the user perspective. The cycle made of test and revision can be repeated as necessary. We recruited senior citizens with age of 65 or above who were taking antihypertensive medications at the point of participating and excluded the elderly who suffered illiteracy. We firstly rectified a drug information leaflet of antihypertensive medications for the general public distributed by the Korean authority based on focus group interviews (9 participants). The revised leaflets were tested four times with 8~12 participants in each round (40 seniors in total). We targeted to develop a leaflet which more than 80% of participants understood 10 key information. Main outcomes measures were to be able to find information and be able to understand information. This study was approved by the Yeungnam University Research Ethics Committee. RESULTS: Focus group interviews identified difficulties with small font of words, professional language, long information, and a poor structure. The leaflet was revised and in the first round questionnaire found problems with 4/10 information points; interviews disclosed all but one (normal blood pressure range) were ill-understood. The second round questionnaire and interview found fewer problems but the comprehensiveness of participants was still poor in several points. For the third and fourth rounds we revised the leaflets in the individual-targeted manner. Finally, the fourth round showed all key information found and understood by at least 80% of participants except one question about drug name. CONCLUSION: The drug leaflets need to be developed in a personalized mode for the seniors. There was a limit for Korean seniors to understand nonproprietary name of their drugs because they used to producers' trade names which the Korean health system predominantly works with.
