Research Article: National initiative to promote public involvement in medicine safety: the use of a cross-sectional population survey to identify candidate behaviours for intervention development in Scotland
Abstract:
Objectives The aim of this study was to explore the public’s current awareness of the safe use of medicines in general, and over-the-counter (OTC) analgesics (painkillers) in particular, as well as their information-seeking and advice-seeking, medicine use and disposal. Setting General population, Scotland. Participants Adults (aged >16 years) living in Scotland. Interventions A cross-sectional survey was undertaken in collaboration with Ipsos MORI (a market research company). The content was informed by a multi-stakeholder prioritisation event and supplemented with information from earlier studies. Results The survey was completed in March 2020 by 1000 respondents, most of whom had used a pharmacy in the previous 12 months to obtain a medicine. Of the 1000 respondents, 39% (n=389) were 55 years and over; 52% (n=517) were women; and 58% were degree-educated. On receipt of a new prescription, up to 29.8% (95% CI 27.0% to 32.7%) of respondents proactively sought specific information or advice from the pharmacist. Few (5.2% (95% CI 4.0% to 6.8%) respondents ‘always’ discussed their new prescription medicine with pharmacy staff and 28.9% (95% CI 26.2% to 31.8%) reported ‘never’ engaging in this behaviour. Respondents aged >35 years were less likely to engage in this behaviour. Just over half (53% (95% CI 50.5% to 56.7%)) the respondents reported oral OTC analgesic use at least once in the previous month. In terms of medicine disposal, 29.3% (95% CI 26.6% to 32.2%) of respondents considered waste bin disposal to be of low or no harm. Conclusions This study identified low levels of information-seeking and advice-seeking from pharmacy personnel especially on receipt of new prescription medicines. Potentially unsafe behaviours were identified in the use and disposal of medicines. These results will inform the development of interventions to promote advice-seeking and increase awareness regarding safe medicine use.
Introduction:
Medicines are the most commonly used healthcare intervention. 1 Every medicine has benefits and harms. One of the five objectives of the WHO Global Patient Safety campaign, Medication Without Harm, is to ‘empower patients, families and their carers to become actively involved and engaged in treatment or care decisions, ask questions, spot errors and effectively manage their medications’. 2 Our study was conducted in Scotland, where the national health policy 3 embraces the WHO’s concept of patients taking active…
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