Advance Search

Perceptions amongst medication users regarding South African patient package inserts (PPIs) of scheduled and over-the-counter (OTC) medications

Daleen Krige
University of the Free State
Johann Cornelius de Wet
University of the Free State
Keywords:
Copyright and Licensing:
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Share:

How to Cite

Perceptions amongst medication users regarding South African patient package inserts (PPIs) of scheduled and over-the-counter (OTC) medications. (2022). Communicare: Journal for Communication Studies in Africa, 28(1), 88-102. https://doi.org/10.36615/jcsa.v28i1.1701
Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC
  • Articles
  • Submited: October 16, 2022
  • Published: October 17, 2022

Abstract

This article reports on the PPI itself, its information, and language usage in the texts, as tested in
focus-group sessions, using content analysis. Quantitative readability assessments of selected
PPIs revealed that the texts were mostly “difficult” or “very difficult”. However, readability relies not
only on text variables, but also on interaction between reader and text. From the findings, certain
recommendations are suggested to enhance the reader accessibility and cultural competence
of such documents. If PPIs, as a health communication tool, can be seen to be valuable and
easily comprehensible sources of medication information, they can fulfil a necessary role in health
literacy, especially in a multicultural, developing country such as South Africa, one typified by
huge class differences and where more than two-thirds of its households fall within the lower- to
middle-income groups.

pdf
pdf

Article Metrics Graph

Article Views | PDF Downloads
Chart Graph | Range Graph

References

  1. Arndt, H. & Janney, R.W. (1987). Intergrammar. Toward an integrative model of verbal, prosodic and kinesic choices in speech. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.
  2. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110872910
  3. Ascione, F.J., Kirking, D.M., Wenzloff, N.J., Foley, T.A. & Kwok, D.K. (1987). Effect of innovation characteristics on pharmacists' use of written patient medication information. Patient education and counselling, 9, 53-64.
  4. https://doi.org/10.1016/0738-3991(87)90108-X
  5. Babbie, E. & Mouton, J. (2001). The practice of social research. Cape Town: Oxford University Press.
  6. Basara, L.R. & Juergens, J.P. (1994). Patient package insert readability and design. American Pharmacy, 34, (8), 48-53.
  7. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0160-3450(15)30339-1
  8. Carter, J.F. (1985). Lessons in text design from an instructional design perspective. In: T.M. Duffy, & Waller, R. (Eds). Designing usable texts (pp. 145-156). Florida: Academic Press Inc.
  9. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-223260-2.50012-8
  10. Dolinsky, D. & Sogol, E. (1989). The patient package insert and the pharmacist's role. In: Bogaert, Vander Stichele, Kaufman & Lefebvre (Eds). Excerpta Medica (International Congress Series 853). Patient package insert as a source of drug information (pp 27-37). Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publishers B.V.
  11. Fulcher, G. (1997). Text difficulty and accessibility: reading formulas and expert judgement. System, 25, (4), 497-513.
  12. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0346-251X(97)00048-1
  13. Gosselinckx, F. (1989). The Belgian patient package insert. In: Bogaert, Vander Stichele, Kaufman & Lefebvre (Eds). Excerpta Medica (International Congress Series 853). Patient package insert as a source of drug information (pp 49-52). Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publishers B.V.
  14. Joubert, P. & Lasagna, L. (1975). Patient package inserts: nature, notions and needs. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 18, (5), 507-513.
  15. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpt1975185part1507
  16. Lewis, H. (1974). Communication barriers between educated and uneducated persons. International Institute for Adult Literacy Methods, 1971-1979 (3), 29-34.
  17. Lowe, G. (1995). Communication Science. Pretoria: Kagiso Publishers.
  18. Maes, S. & Scholten, H. (1989). Can patient package inserts harm patients? In: Bogaert, Vander Stichele, Kaufman & Lefebvre (Eds). Excerpta Medica (International Congress Series 853). Patient package insert as a source of drug information (pp 163-170). Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publishers B.V.
  19. McGinnis, T.J. (2000). Why we are here. In: Current status of useful written prescription drug information for patients. [Transcript of a Public Meeting by the Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration]. Retrieved April 22, 2002 from http://www.fda.gov/cder/ddmac/tranvol1.htm
  20. Medicines Control Council. (2005). Proposed guideline on information of package inserts for human medicines (orthodox). Retrieved on February 10, 2007 from http://www.mccza.com/documents/9.13%20USRN%20May06%20v1.doc
  21. Osborne, H. (2000). In other words, assessing readability rules for playing the numbers game. Health Literacy Consulting: 1-3. Retrieved on March 19, 2002 from http://www.healthliteracy.com/oncalldec2000.html
  22. Quesada, G.M. (1976). Language and communication barriers for health delivery to a minority group. Social Science and Medicine, 10, 323-327.
  23. https://doi.org/10.1016/0037-7856(76)90078-0
  24. Reid, J.C., Kardash, C.M., Robinson, R.D. & Scholes, R. (1994). Comprehension in patient literature: the importance of text and reader characteristics. Health Communication, 6, (4), 327-335.
  25. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327027hc0604_7
  26. Riche, J.M., Reid, J.C., Robinson, R.D. & Kardash, C.M. (1991). Text and reader characteristics affecting the readability of patient literature. Reading Improvement, 28 287-292.
  27. Rossi-Landi, F. (1992). Between signs and non-signs. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company.
  28. https://doi.org/10.1075/ct.10
  29. Rudd, R.E. & Colton, T.C. (1998). An overview of medical and public health literature addressing literacy issues: an annotated bibliography. In: The National Centre for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy, Report # 7. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
  30. Rudd, R.E., Moeykens, B.A. & Colton, T.C. (1999). A review of medical and public health literature. In: J. Comings, Garners, B. & Smith, C. (Eds). Annual Review of Adult Learning and Literacy. New York: Jossey-Bass. Retrieved on February 18, 2007 from http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/healthlieracy/litreview_final.pdf
  31. SAARF. (n.d.) The SAARF universal LSM. Retrieved on January 23, 2007 from http://www.saarf.co.za
  32. Schaafsma, E.S., Raynor, D.K. & De Jong-van den Berg, L.T.W. (2003). Accessing medication information by ethnic minorities: barriers and possible solutions. In: Pharm World Sci 2003, 25, (5), 185-190. Retrieved on February 18, 2007 from http://geneesmiddelen.wewi.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/FILES/root/artikelen/2003/FIPminorities/2003PWS185Schaafsmaea.pdf
  33. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025812716177
  34. Stevens, C. (2000). All about readability. Retrieved on February 7, 2007 from http://plainlanguage.com/newreadability.html
  35. Twyman, M. (1985). Using pictorial language: a discussion of the dimensions of the problem. In: T.M. Duffy & Waller, R. (Eds). Designing usable texts (pp 245-312). Orlando: Academic Press Inc.
  36. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-223260-2.50016-5
  37. Vander Stichele, R. (1989). Patient package insert as a source of drug information: Review of the literature. In: Bogaert, Vander Stichele, Kaufman & Lefebvre (Eds). Excerpta Medica (International Congress Series 853). Patient package insert as a source of drug information (pp 3-11). Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publishers B.V.
  38. Vander Stichele, R.H. (2004). Impact of written drug information in patient package inserts: Acceptance and impact on benefit/risk perception. Unpublished doctoral thesis, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. Retrieved on February 18, 2007 from http://users.ugent.be/~rvdstich/thesis/written_drug_information_screen.pdf
  39. Williams-Deane, M. & Potter, L.S. (1992). Current oral contraceptive use instructions: an analysis of patient package inserts. Family Planning Perspectives, 24, (3), 111-115.
  40. https://doi.org/10.2307/2135540
  41. Wimmer, R.D. & Dominick, J.R. (1997). Mass media research: an introduction. Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing Company.
How to Cite
Perceptions amongst medication users regarding South African patient package inserts (PPIs) of scheduled and over-the-counter (OTC) medications. (2022). Communicare: Journal for Communication Studies in Africa, 28(1), 88-102. https://doi.org/10.36615/jcsa.v28i1.1701

Send mail to Author

Send Cancel

Custom technologies based on your needs

  • ORCID
  • Crossref
  • PubMed
    • Clarivate