Patient experience and use of probiotics in community-based health care settings.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate patient experience with probiotics and factors that influence probiotic use among adult patients.


METHODS
Patients were invited to complete a questionnaire that assessed their experiences and opinions regarding probiotics. Questionnaires were distributed to patients seeking primary health care services at a family and community medicine practice site and a community pharmacy. Patients were invited to complete the questionnaire while awaiting the physician or waiting for prescriptions to be filled.


RESULTS
Overall, 162 surveys were completed and returned (66% response rate) from patients aged 18 to 89 years of age (mean 49.5 years). Most patients (n=107; 65%) were familiar with the term "probiotic", and 49 patients (29.9%) had personally used the supplements in the past. Of those who had used probiotics, the majority (57%) had used the supplements to maintain "good gastrointestinal health" and most (59%) felt that the supplements had been beneficial. However, most (59%) had not informed their health care provider about their use of the supplements.


CONCLUSIONS
Use of probiotic supplements is common among consumers, but may not be reported to health care providers.
Department of Family and Community Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, College of Medicine Hershey, PA, USA.
Blake
B
Chin-Lee
Department of Family and Community Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, College of Medicine Hershey, PA, USA.
William J
WJ
Curry
Department of Pharmacology, Pennsylvania State University, College of Medicine Hershey, PA, USA.
John
J
Fetterman
Department of Family and Community Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, College of Medicine Hershey, PA, USA.
Marie A
MA
Graybill
Department of Pharmacology, Pennsylvania State University, College of Medicine Hershey, PA, USA.
Kelly
K
Karpa
community pharmacy; primary care; probiotic