title: Improving medication knowledge among older adults with heart failure: a patient-centered approach to instruction design.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated whether patient-centered instructions for chronic heart failure medications increase comprehension and memory for medication information in older adults diagnosed with chronic heart failure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patient-centered instructions for familiar and unfamiliar medications were compared with instructions for the same medications from a chain pharmacy (standard pharmacy instructions). Thirty-two adults (age, M = 63.8) read and answered questions about each instruction, recalled medication information (free recall), and then answered questions from memory (cued recall).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patient-centered instructions were better recalled and understood more quickly than the standard instructions. Instructions for the familiar medications also were better recalled. Patient-centered instructions were understood more accurately for the unfamiliar medications, but standard instructions were understood more accurately for the familiar medications. However, the recall measures showed that the advantage of the standard format for familiar medications was short lived.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that the patient-centered format may improve printed medication instructions available in many pharmacies, which should help older adults to better understand how to take their medications.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Aviation, Aviation Human Factors Division, Willard Airport-One Airport Road, Q5, MC-394, Savoy, IL 61874, USA. dgm@uiuc.edu
authors.forename: Daniel G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Morrow
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weiner
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Steinley
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deer
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Murray
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004348:Drug Labeling; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000379:methods*; D012044:Regression Analysis
chemical_list: D002317:Cardiovascular Agents