P0209 - A Survey of patients' sources of knowledge of medication side effects and implications for compliances

Abstract

Objectives:

Assess the sources of patients' knowledge of medication side effects and the effects of their knowledge on compliance with prescribed medication.

Methods:

476 patients attending psychiatric services were randomly selected and asked to fill a questionnaire designed to assess parameters relevant to the objectives of the study.

Results:

Overall, 44% said they had learnt of side effects of their medication from multiple sources including doctors (52.31%), leaflets (54.2%), internet (14.29%), books (13.02%), chemist (11.34%), other patients (5.67%), friends/relatives (7.35%), self-help groups (2.94%) and other sources (4.2%). 8% said they were not aware of any side effects of the medicines they are taking presently.

13.44% of patients reported that they never find out about side effects of their medication before taking it for the first time with a high proportion of these being males (17.93%vs.10.69%, p = 0.0366). 46.2% reported that they have had concerns about taking medication because of their knowledge of side effects with females more likely to have such concerns than males (49.83% vs.40.76%, p = 0.0269). Finally, when asked if they would have taken the medicines prescribed for them now if they were told initially of all the side effects, 51.05% answered ‘more likely’, with a higher proportion of these being males (56.67% vs. 49.46%, p = 0.06)

Conclusion:

Doctors and information leaflets are the leading sources of patients' knowledge about side effects of medication. The knowledge of side effects of medication has a potential to impact more on the compliance of female patients compared to males.