ArticleInternational journal of clinical pharmacy2014
How useful are medication patient information leaflets to older adults? A content, readability and layout analysis.
Article in International journal of clinical pharmacy, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed.
- Where do people obtain side effect information? Results from a census-matched U.S. national survey.Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy · 2026Article
- Multicentre quality improvement initiative to improve patient education and safety in the prescription of Sodium-Glucose transporter 2 inhibitors.BMJ open quality · 2025Article
- The Comprehension, Cosmetics, Convenience, Content, and Credibility of Infographic Patient Information Leaflets (iPILs) Compared to Existing PILs (ePILs).Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Development of health information materials on antimicrobial resistance with lay workers in Grahamstown/Makhanda, South Africa.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- The Challenges for EU User Testing Policies for Patient Information Leaflets.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Article
- A Cross-Sectional Evaluation of Knowledge of Medicine Safety and Frequency of Reading Medication Leaflets and Its Predictors - Insights from Saudi Adults in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.International journal of general medicine · 2024Article
- Patient Information Leaflets of Drugs Used in Cardiometabolic Disorders: Suitability for Use by Older Persons.Portuguese journal of public health · 2023Article
- Factors that Facilitate and Hinder the Comprehension of Patient Information Leaflets (PILs): A Brief Scoping Review.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2021Article
- Differences in Memory, Perceptions, and Preferences of Multimedia Consumer Medication Information: Experimental Performance and Self-Report Study.JMIR human factors · 2020Article
- From Print to Screen: Regulatory Considerations to Adopting Innovative Approaches for Patient Information and Safety.Therapeutic innovation & regulatory science · 2020Article
- Survey of healthcare professionals' practices, expectations, and attitudes towards provision of patient information leaflets in Thailand.International journal of clinical pharmacy · 2020Article
- Experiences and Views of Medicine Information Among the General Public in Thailand.Patient preference and adherence · 2020Article
- Pharmacists' training to improve inhaler technique of patients with COPD in Vietnam.International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease · 2018Article
- Readability Analysis of the Package Leaflets for Biological Medicines Available on the Internet Between 2007 and 2013: An Analytical Longitudinal Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2016Article
- Article
- Recall of Pharmaceutical Pictograms by Older Adults.The Canadian journal of hospital pharmacyArticle
- Patients' views on electronic patient information leaflets.Pharmacy practiceArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPatient information leaflets (PILs) are the most important information source for older patients to effectively manage their drug therapy.
objectiveThe objective of this study is to evaluate the appropriateness of current available PILs for use by older adults.
methodsThe content of the PILs were assessed by checking the availability of information relevant to older patients including pharmacokinetics, safety and dose instructions. The layout of the PILs was evaluated using criteria derived from the relevant regulatory guidelines on the design of PILs. The Gunning Fog Index was used to determine the readability of the PILs to older adults.
resultsTotal of 48 PILs were analysed involving 25 drug substances for the treatment of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. One out of the 48 PILs contained information on pharmacokinetic changes in older patients and only 15 % of the PILs specified the age of the older person. Thirty-one percent of the PILs provided nonspecific warnings to the older population, while only 15 % included specific side effects that could occur in the older generation. Text font sizes of the PILs were generally too small for older adults to read, with only 9 % of the PILs used type size 12 or over. The readability of 63 % of the PILs had a score above 12, which is considered difficult for older people to understand.
conclusionCurrently available medication PILs are inappropriate for use by older adults to manage their medications effectively, which could adversely affect patient safety and adherence to drug therapy.
Indexed as
Identifiers
24986267What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.