[Drug information centers-instruments for health care research?].
BACKGROUND
Patient- and physician-centered drug information services (DICs) can contribute to a better communication between doctors and patients and health care research. Furthermore, gaps within health care can be identified.


METHODS
Data of two DICs (the physician-centered service is in operation for almost 10 years, the patient-centered service since 2001), both established in the Institute of Clinical Pharmacology of the TU Dresden, Germany, were analyzed using descriptive statistics.


RESULTS
The consultation frequency in both DICs was high (2004: 129 enquiries by physicians; 1,358 by patients). Questions concerning highly prevalent drug groups, i. e., cardiovascular drugs (physicians: 20%; patients: 30%) and drugs targeting the central nervous system (physicians: 22%; patients: 17%) were asked most frequently.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that patient's drug information in primary care needs improvement. Although in both DICs similar drug groups were asked, the authors suggest that the time factor is the core obstacle to sufficient information rather than knowledge deficits of physicians.
Hach
Isabel
I
Institut für Klinische Pharmakologie Forschungsverbund Public Health Sachsen und Sachsen-Anhalt e. V., Medizinische Fakultät der TU Dresden, Fiedlerstrasse 27, 01307 Dresden. Isabel.Hach@mailbox.tu-dresden.de
Meusel
Dirk
D
Maywald
Ulf
U
Kirch
Wilhelm
W
D004346:Drug Information Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005858:Germany; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014600:Utilization Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data