Knowledge of prescribed drugs among primary care patients: findings from Prover Project

Background Evidence on patient medication knowledge and associated factors within primary care patients is limited, especially in developing countries. Objective To estimate the prevalence and investigate the role of individual and contextual factors on insufficient medication knowledge among primary care patients. Setting Public community pharmacies in a health pole city (234,937 inhab.) in Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Methods Exit-survey conducted with a representative sample of 1221 patients (≥ 18 years) interviewed after dispensing. Data collected for medicines included its name, therapeutic indication, dosage, time of administration, treatment duration, side effects and warnings. Information were compared to the prescription and official guidelines. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were applied. Main outcome measure Insufficient patient medication knowledge. Results Prevalence of insufficient medication knowledge was 30.1%. Side effects (96.3%) and warnings (71.1%) had the highest percentage of misses. Musculoskeletal system drugs presented the lowest knowledge score (mean = 5.9; SD = 1.9). Significant determinants of insufficient medication knowledge with respective odds ratio (OR) were: level of education (≤ 3 years, OR 1.50; 95% CI 1.06–2.11 and 4–7 years, OR 1.37; 95% CI 1.02–1.84), number of comorbidities (≤ 2, OR 1.36; 95% CI 1.04–1.77), use of prescription drugs in the last 15 days (no, OR 2.22; 95% CI 1.31–3.76) and number of people able to lend money (no person, OR 1.34; 95% CI 1.04–1.74). Conclusion Counselling and monitoring practices should be tailored to patients with less schooling, that are initiating treatment and with low disease burden. Equally important is the need to implement strategies to increase the patient’s level of social capital to improve treatment knowledge.