Effect of Group Instructions for Improving Awareness about Medication-notebook Use on the Purchase of Over-the-counter Drugs and Dietary Supplements

Abstract

Information on ethical drugs is managed by medication notebooks but information on over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and dietary supplements is hardly covered. Therefore, it is important to understand the awareness about medicationnotebook use on the purchase of OTC drugs and dietary supplements and to take measures to improve awareness. In our study, in order to understand the awareness and situation of medication-notebook use and clarify the effect of group instructions for improving the awareness, we gave a lecture about medication-notebook use and investigated items such as awareness about medication notebooks before and after the lecture. We conducted a questionnaire survey in 80 participants in a public lecture in Gifu Municipal Hospital on April 19, 2014. The lecture explained about medication notebooks and their usefulness for ethical drugs, OTC drugs and dietary supplements, etc. The items of the questionnaire were, for example, awareness about medication-notebook use for ethical drugs, OTC drugs and dietary supplements (Likert scale, evaluation 1-5). The recovery rate of questionnaires was 80.0％. Regarding the awareness about medication-notebook use for OTC drugs and dietary supplements, the rates of evaluations 4 and 5 before the lecture were low (30-50％) regardless of ways of purchasing them, but the evaluations increased significantly after the lecture (P < 0.05). Our study clarified that awareness about using medication-notebooks for OTC drugs and dietary supplements is insufficient at present and suggested that group instructions about medication-notebook use improve awareness.

Developing and Verifying the Efficacy of “Educational Program for Promoting Appropriate Self-medication <i>via</i> Pharmacies and Pharmacists”: A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Additionally, the program involved encouraging the attendees to record details regarding self-medication in their medication notebooks for sharing information related to self-medication with the public and pharmacies/pharmacists because majority of the public had presented their medication notebooks to medical institutions such as pharmacies recently. 31) This educational program involved a 15-min educational class and, 1 month later, sending an informational pamphlet to participants' homes. The educational session was in a lecture format, which allowed us to provide the information to multiple people at once.…”

“…30) In Japan, medication notebooks are used as a means of sharing information between medical institutions. 31) Medication notebooks were initially proposed as a means of facilitating the uniform management of information related to patients' pharmaceuticals. 31) The notebook is used to record information such as drug-prescription history, purchases of OTC drugs and health foods, history of medication, side-effects, and allergies.…”

“…31) Medication notebooks were initially proposed as a means of facilitating the uniform management of information related to patients' pharmaceuticals. 31) The notebook is used to record information such as drug-prescription history, purchases of OTC drugs and health foods, history of medication, side-effects, and allergies. The use of such books is based on the theory that side-effects, interactions, and overlapping use of pharmaceuticals can be prevented in advance by having patients present their medication notebooks to doctors and pharmacists at medical institutions.…”

“…The use of such books is based on the theory that side-effects, interactions, and overlapping use of pharmaceuticals can be prevented in advance by having patients present their medication notebooks to doctors and pharmacists at medical institutions. 31) The notes written in the medication notebooks are mainly entered by pharmacists (at a pharmacy or hospital). Patients present their medication notebooks at pharmacies when collecting their prescription drugs; therefore, pharmacists can use the notebooks to manage patients' medication and review their prescription history.…”

Effect on Patient Safety of Brief Interventions Performed by Pharmacists via Drug Profile Books: VISualization of Treatment Assist by pharmacists (VISTA) Project in Japan

“…DPBs are mainly A6-sized handbooks, and very easy to use for the elderly as well. In addition, they can be used not only during examinations but also when purchasing OTC (over-the-counter) medications and supplements [2] [3], and for patient education at discharge [4]. The main purpose for using a DPB in routine medical care is to prevent duplicate medications and drug interactions before they happen and to avoid adverse drug reactions.…”