Accuracy of patient self-medication with topical eardrops.
Topical eardrops are commonly prescribed by otolaryngologists and general practitioners and many believe that patient compliance is poor, although this has not been studied in a properly controlled manner. Thirty-nine patients with otitis externa were reviewed four times during a two-week course of topical eardrops and their treatment compliance studied. The patients tended to undermedicate themselves, and this tendency increased over the two-week period. Patients were administering significantly fewer drops by the end of day 11 than by the end of day 3 (p = 0.2). Compliance patterns were extremely poor, in that only 40 per cent of patients were managing to self-medicate within a 25 per cent error margin by the end of day 3. These findings may have future implications in the ongoing debate on eardrop use.
England
R J
RJ
Department of Otolaryngology, Hull Royal Infirmary, UK.
Homer
J J
JJ
Jasser
P
P
Wilde
A D
AD
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000617:Aminoglycosides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D010032:Otitis Externa / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012651:Self Medication
D000617:Aminoglycosides