Patients’ Information Leaflets: Its’ Influence on Ophthalmic Patient Education and Medication Compliance

Aims: To investigate the influence of patient information leaflets on Ophthalmic patients’ education and medication compliance.
Study Design: Hospital-based cross- sectional survey.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Optometry, School of Physical Sciences, UCC, Cape Coast, Ghana, between September 2012 and May 2013.
Methodology: A semi - structured questionnaire with sections on patient demographics, patient information leaflets impact on therapeutic education, and medication compliance, was administered to 400 ophthalmic review patients in three eye care facilities in Central Region of Ghana. Patient information leaflets (PILs) of common ophthalmic medications prescribed in these eye centers were also reviewed and assessed on their readability using the Rudolph Flesch’s readability ease calculator. Obtained data was analyzed using SPSS version 19. Pearson’s Chi-square statistical analysis was used to test for significant association between variables.
Results: Of the 400 ophthalmic patients, 140 (35%) were males and 260 (65%) females The mean age was 50.2 ± 19.5. Patients had varying opinion on the purpose for the PIL: 228 (57%) thought the PIL only gives instructions on the use of the medication; 108 (27%) did not know why the PIL have been provided. The remaining 64 (16%) provided no response. There was significant association between higher educational level and reading of the leaflet (P < 0.001). The kind of ophthalmic condition one suffered had a positive influence on reading the PIL ( X2=28.594, P < 0.001). A greater proportion of the patients (88.04%) said various components of information on the leaflet were beneficial in ensuring compliance to therapy. All the PILs from the five different companies (where medication were obtained for retail) had very low readability score (0-29) except some PILs of topical analgesic drug. The low readability score indicated that the text was difficult to comprehend; the reason for which most patients did not read the leaflets. Most patients 91(99%) who read the PILs indicated that they were beneficial but were difficult to understand.
Conclusion: Ophthalmic patients’ opinion on patient information leaflets was reasonably good and had a positive influence on patients’ medication compliance. It however, did not have much influence on patient education due to low readability and comprehensible.