title: Patients' satisfaction with information and experiences with counseling on cardiovascular medication received at the pharmacy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the extent to which patients feel they have received enough information on cardiovascular drugs and experienced counseling at the pharmacy. In addition, to identify factors that are predictors for patient satisfaction with the information received.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen community pharmacies participated. New and chronic users of cardiovascular medication received a questionnaire containing sociodemographic and health questions, a measure of satisfaction with information received (SIMS), beliefs about medication (BMQ), and frequency of pharmacy counseling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 578 respondents, 335 (58%) indicated to be unsatisfied with the information received on 3 or more SIMS items. Patients' age, beliefs about medication, duration of cardiovascular treatment and use of antithrombotics predicted patients' satisfaction with information received. Two-thirds of patients reported 'never' to have experienced 5 of 8 counseling activities at the pharmacy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A considerable proportion of patients are unsatisfied with the information received on cardiovascular medication. The majority of patients have only received a limited scope of medication counseling at the pharmacy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Information and counseling should be tailored to patients' needs and concerns about cardiovascular medication and the experience patients already have with treatment. Pharmacists could enhance their role in supporting patients using cardiovascular medication.
authors.affiliation: Division Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. e.c.g.vangeffen@uu.nl
authors.forename: Erica C G
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: van Geffen
authors.forename: Daphne
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Philbert
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: van Boheemen
authors.forename: Liset
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: van Dijk
authors.forename: Marieke B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Bos
authors.forename: Marcel L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bouvy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003376:Counseling; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010595:Pharmacists; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002317:Cardiovascular Agents