Accuracy of reporting current medications by cancer patients presenting to an emergency center.
BACKGROUND
Due to high coexistence of comorbidity, cancer patients take many medications and are susceptible to negative consequences of polypharmacy. To avoid adverse events during care transitions, patients need to correctly communicate their medications. The emergency center (EC) presents opportunities to assess patients' knowledge of medications and reconcile medication profiles.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose was to evaluate the medication knowledge of cancer patients presenting to the EC and to identify factors associated with higher knowledge.


METHODS
For the cross-sectional self-administered survey, 254 patients were enrolled and gave name, dose, frequency, route, and indication for medications. Responses were checked for accuracy against outpatient pharmacy dispensing records within or outside M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. Demographic data was obtained from medical records. For each patient, we calculated a patient medication knowledge (PMK-overall) score indicating percentage of correct responses.


RESULTS
Median PMK-overall score was 80%. Patients who used a medication aid to fill out the survey were 6.5 times more likely to have a high level of medication knowledge, or PMK-overall score > or = 80%. Predictors of using a medication aid included lower education level, solid tumor, more than five medications, married, and using a medication list at home.


CONCLUSIONS
Though our findings may not be generalizable to settings outside the EC, we found cancer patients to have high levels of medication knowledge. Future studies should validate the use of PMK scores to predict medication adherence and other outcomes. Patients should be encouraged to use a medication aid when presenting information to the health care system.
Department of General Internal Medicine, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA. jphwang@mdanderson.org
Jessica P
JP
Hwang
Holly M
HM
Holmes
Michael A
MA
Kallen
Joe
J
Ensor
Jason
J
Etchegaray
Rana
R
Saab
Rebecca B
RB
Arbuckle
Krista M
KM
King
Carmen P
CP
Escalante
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019338:Polypharmacy; D055815:Young Adult
D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations