title: Medication literacy status of outpatients in ambulatory care settings in Changsha, China.
abstract: Objective To assess medication literacy status and to examine risk factors of inadequate medication literacy of outpatients in ambulatory care settings. Methods Study participants were recruited randomly from outpatient departments in four tertiary hospitals (Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, People's Hospital of Hunan Province) in Changsha, Hunan, China, between October 2014 and January 2015. Medication literacy was assessed using the Medication Literacy Scale, Chinese version. Demographic and clinical data were collected using structured interviews. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the independent effects of demographic and clinical factors on medication literacy. Results Of 465 participants, 425 (91.4%) produced valid responses for analysis. The mean medication literacy score was 8.31 (standard deviation = 3.47). Medication literacy was adequate in 131 participants (30.8%), marginally adequate in 248 (58.4%), and inadequate in 46 (10.8%). The risk of inadequate medication literacy was greater for older and unmarried patients but lower for more educated patients. Conclusion Many Chinese outpatients in ambulatory care have inadequate medication literacy. Greater age, low education, and unmarried status are important risk factors of inadequate medication literacy.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Cardiology, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Nursing, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: Siqing
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Social Medicine and Health Service Management, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, China.|4 Key Laboratory of Medical Information Research, Central South University, College of Hunan Province Changsha, China.
authors.forename: Aijing
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Nursing, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.|3 Department of Social Medicine and Health Service Management, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, China.|4 Key Laboratory of Medical Information Research, Central South University, College of Hunan Province Changsha, China.
authors.forename: Zhuqing
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: 5 Xiangya School of Nursing, Central South University, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: Yinglong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.affiliation: 5 Xiangya School of Nursing, Central South University, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: Zhiying
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D002681:China; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010045:Outpatients / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D063046:Patient Medication Knowledge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Outpatients; ambulatory care; medication literacy; risk factors