Patients may not be taking their prescriptions in an efficient manner because of confusing label instructions, which can result in lowered patient adherence to proper medication regimens, according to a study published in Archives of Internal Medicine.
For the study, 464 participants were asked to organize how they would take each of their seven medications in a 24-hour period. In total, the subjects had to place 21 fictional pills that could be consolidated into four dosing episodes a day — 8 a.m., 12 p.m., 6 p.m. and bedtime.
Results showed that even though patients could consolidate into those four time slots, many of them organized the pills into as many as 14 time slots, ranging from 5 a.m-11 p.m. Only 14.9 percent of participants actually organized the medications into four or fewer time slots. Low literacy was a predictor of greater dosing episodes per day.
Read the study about prescription regimens.
Read other coverage about patient adherence:
- Study: More Colonoscopy Screening Options Confuse Patients
For the study, 464 participants were asked to organize how they would take each of their seven medications in a 24-hour period. In total, the subjects had to place 21 fictional pills that could be consolidated into four dosing episodes a day — 8 a.m., 12 p.m., 6 p.m. and bedtime.
Results showed that even though patients could consolidate into those four time slots, many of them organized the pills into as many as 14 time slots, ranging from 5 a.m-11 p.m. Only 14.9 percent of participants actually organized the medications into four or fewer time slots. Low literacy was a predictor of greater dosing episodes per day.
Read the study about prescription regimens.
Read other coverage about patient adherence:
- Study: More Colonoscopy Screening Options Confuse Patients