Does the patients′ educational level and previous counseling affect their medication knowledge?

Aims: The direct involvement of clinical pharmacists in patient care is an ever-evolving role in the pharmacy profession. Studies have demonstrated that discharge counseling performed by a clinical pharmacist improves patients′ knowledge of their medications. The aim of this article is to evaluate t...

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Main Authors: Abdulmalik M Alkatheri, Abdulkareem M Albekairy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2013-01-01
Series:Annals of Thoracic Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.thoracicmedicine.org/article.asp?issn=1817-1737;year=2013;volume=8;issue=2;spage=105;epage=108;aulast=Alkatheri
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author Abdulmalik M Alkatheri
Abdulkareem M Albekairy
author_facet Abdulmalik M Alkatheri
Abdulkareem M Albekairy
author_sort Abdulmalik M Alkatheri
collection DOAJ
description Aims: The direct involvement of clinical pharmacists in patient care is an ever-evolving role in the pharmacy profession. Studies have demonstrated that discharge counseling performed by a clinical pharmacist improves patients′ knowledge of their medications. The aim of this article is to evaluate the effect of patients′ educational level and previous counseling on medication knowledge among patients visiting King Abdulaziz Medical City, a tertiary care center. Methods: The effect of the education level and previous counseling on medication knowledge was assessed in 90 patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings at King Abdul Aziz Medical City during a 5-week period using a questionnaire that contains items to assess patients′ medication knowledge and the pharmacists′ performance during counseling. Results: The average age of the participants was 52.9 ± 17.6 years. The participants′ education level was not significantly associated with gender; however, it was significantly associated with age, P < 0.05. A higher educational level was found to positively affect the aspects of medication knowledge that were assessed in this study ( P < 0.05): 35.8-56.9% of the non-educated patients showed good to excellent recognition of medications, knowledge of their indications, and knowledge of dosage schedule compared to 76.2-90.5% for the more educated participants. Furthermore, 13.6%, 38.1%, and 70.0% of the non-educated group, the below high school group and high school education or above group, respectively, demonstrated good to excellent knowledge of their medications′ side effects. Previous counseling was also positively linked to medication knowledge ( P < 0.05). Here, 87.8-97.6% of the patients who received previous counseling showed good to excellent recognition of medications, knowledge of their indications, and better knowledge of dosage schedule compared to 37.2-43.2% for those who did not. Finally, 52.9% of the patients who received previous counseling showed good to excellent knowledge of medication side effects compared to only 12.5% for those who did not. Conclusions: The education level of the patient and previous counseling are positively linked to medication knowledge. Knowledge of the medications′ side effects proved to be the most difficult task for the participants in this study, requiring the highest level of education, and was improved by previous counseling.
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spelling doaj.art-98494035473241d2bcc2cbef13128a012022-12-22T02:08:45ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsAnnals of Thoracic Medicine1817-17371998-35572013-01-018210510810.4103/1817-1737.109823Does the patients′ educational level and previous counseling affect their medication knowledge?Abdulmalik M AlkatheriAbdulkareem M AlbekairyAims: The direct involvement of clinical pharmacists in patient care is an ever-evolving role in the pharmacy profession. Studies have demonstrated that discharge counseling performed by a clinical pharmacist improves patients′ knowledge of their medications. The aim of this article is to evaluate the effect of patients′ educational level and previous counseling on medication knowledge among patients visiting King Abdulaziz Medical City, a tertiary care center. Methods: The effect of the education level and previous counseling on medication knowledge was assessed in 90 patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings at King Abdul Aziz Medical City during a 5-week period using a questionnaire that contains items to assess patients′ medication knowledge and the pharmacists′ performance during counseling. Results: The average age of the participants was 52.9 ± 17.6 years. The participants′ education level was not significantly associated with gender; however, it was significantly associated with age, P < 0.05. A higher educational level was found to positively affect the aspects of medication knowledge that were assessed in this study ( P < 0.05): 35.8-56.9% of the non-educated patients showed good to excellent recognition of medications, knowledge of their indications, and knowledge of dosage schedule compared to 76.2-90.5% for the more educated participants. Furthermore, 13.6%, 38.1%, and 70.0% of the non-educated group, the below high school group and high school education or above group, respectively, demonstrated good to excellent knowledge of their medications′ side effects. Previous counseling was also positively linked to medication knowledge ( P < 0.05). Here, 87.8-97.6% of the patients who received previous counseling showed good to excellent recognition of medications, knowledge of their indications, and better knowledge of dosage schedule compared to 37.2-43.2% for those who did not. Finally, 52.9% of the patients who received previous counseling showed good to excellent knowledge of medication side effects compared to only 12.5% for those who did not. Conclusions: The education level of the patient and previous counseling are positively linked to medication knowledge. Knowledge of the medications′ side effects proved to be the most difficult task for the participants in this study, requiring the highest level of education, and was improved by previous counseling.http://www.thoracicmedicine.org/article.asp?issn=1817-1737;year=2013;volume=8;issue=2;spage=105;epage=108;aulast=AlkatheriDischarge counselingeducational levelmedication knowledgepatient counseling
spellingShingle Abdulmalik M Alkatheri
Abdulkareem M Albekairy
Does the patients′ educational level and previous counseling affect their medication knowledge?
Annals of Thoracic Medicine
Discharge counseling
educational level
medication knowledge
patient counseling
title Does the patients′ educational level and previous counseling affect their medication knowledge?
title_full Does the patients′ educational level and previous counseling affect their medication knowledge?
title_fullStr Does the patients′ educational level and previous counseling affect their medication knowledge?
title_full_unstemmed Does the patients′ educational level and previous counseling affect their medication knowledge?
title_short Does the patients′ educational level and previous counseling affect their medication knowledge?
title_sort does the patients educational level and previous counseling affect their medication knowledge
topic Discharge counseling
educational level
medication knowledge
patient counseling
url http://www.thoracicmedicine.org/article.asp?issn=1817-1737;year=2013;volume=8;issue=2;spage=105;epage=108;aulast=Alkatheri
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