Patients' knowledge concerning their medications on discharge from hospital.
Fifty patients were interviewed, on discharge from hospital, about their medications. Nine (18%) patients did not know, and a further four (8%) had inappropriate beliefs about why they were taking at least one of their discharge medications. Very few patients knew of significant side-effects which they might expect, or precautions which they should take, and over half did not know how long they were to continue taking their medicines. A small proportion was unable to read the bottle or open the container. Thus, even patients who, by virtue of an in-patient stay, have had a prolonged opportunity for education regarding their medicines have very little knowledge of their medicines upon discharge from hospital.
Pullar
T
T
Pharmacy Department, General Infirmary, Leeds, U.K.
Roach
P
P
Mellor
E J
EJ
McNeece
J
J
Judd
A
A
Feely
M
M
Cooke
J
J
D004358:Drug Therapy; D006801:Humans; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010353:Patient Education as Topic