Impact of bilingual product information labels on Spanish-speaking adults' ability to comprehend OTC information

Pharmacists' experiences serving culturally and linguistically diverse patients in the Australian community pharmacy setting

Background There has been no in depth published study to date reporting on community pharmacists' current experiences and their future practice needs relating to providing culturally competent pharmaceutical care to Australian culturally and linguistically diverse patients with low English proficiency. Objective To explore community pharmacists' experiences serving culturally and linguistically diverse patients who have low English proficiency. Setting Community pharmacists in Australia. Method Focus group discussions with practising community pharmacists were conducted. Participants were recruited from metropolitan Sydney. Discussion centred around their current experiences and practice changes needed to enhance the provision of culturally competent pharmaceutical care. Thematic analysis using the constant comparison method within a grounded theory approach was performed on the data collected. Main outcome measure Participants' experiences in providing culturally competent care to culturally and linguistically diverse patients with low English proficiency. Results Thirty community pharmacists participated in six focus group discussions. Inadequate provision of culturally competent care was found to be primarily due to the issue of language incongruence between pharmacist and patient. Participants proposed various means with which such care may be provided to ensure patient safety. Conclusion Pharmacist participants expressed being inadequately equipped to provide culturally competent care in the community setting and identified potential means by which such care may be delivered. Addressing identified barriers that hinder community pharmacists' capacity to engage in culturally competent practice can potentially improve provision of pharmaceutical care to culturally and linguistically diverse patients with low English proficiency.

The Effectiveness of Nonprescription Drug Labels in the United States: Insights from Recent Research and Opportunities for the Future

Despite providing a consistent and comprehensible format for over-the-counter (OTC) drug communication, research suggests important limitations in the communication effectiveness of the Drug Facts Label required on OTC drugs in the United States. This literature is reviewed and some of these critical limitations of the Drug Facts Label (DFL) highlighted. These include difficulty communicating complex information that requires integration of multiple pieces of label information and limited adaptability to serve the unique needs of individual populations (e.g., low literacy or older consumers). Potential ways to improve the DFL's communication effectiveness are identified along with complementary opportunities to improve OTC drug communication by leveraging the role of pharmacists and use of adjunctive technologies.

What constitutes evidence-based patient information? Overview of discussed criteria

OBJECTIVE

To survey quality criteria for evidence-based patient information (EBPI) and to compile the evidence for the identified criteria.

METHODS

Databases PubMed, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, PSYNDEX and Education Research Information Center (ERIC) were searched to update the pool of criteria for EBPI. A subsequent search aimed to identify evidence for each criterion. Only studies on health issues with cognitive outcome measures were included. Evidence for each criterion is presented using descriptive methods.

RESULTS

3 systematic reviews, 24 randomized-controlled studies and 1 non-systematic review were included. Presentation of numerical data, verbal presentation of risks and diagrams, graphics and charts are based on good evidence. Content of information and meta-information, loss- and gain-framing and patient-oriented outcome measures are based on ethical guidelines. There is a lack of studies on quality of evidence, pictures and drawings, patient narratives, cultural aspects, layout, language and development process.

CONCLUSION

The results of this review allow specification of EBPI and may help to advance the discourse among related disciplines. Research gaps are highlighted.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Findings outline the type and extent of content of EBPI, guide the presentation of information and describe the development process.