Paper
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
9:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
This presentation is part of : Posters
Patient Knowledge About Medication Therapy and Utilization of Health Services
Orly Toren, PhD, RN, Nursing Division, The Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel, Hana Kerzman, RN, MSc, Nursing Division, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel, and Orna Baron Epel, PhD, MPH, School of Public Health Faculty of Social Welfare and Health, haifa, Israel.
Learning Objective #1: Patient counseling was found to be one of the factors associated with compliance to medication therapy, quality of life, and utilization of health services
Learning Objective #2: This study illuminates the need for patient education during hospitalization, at discharge and within the community setting regarding medication therapy
Patient counseling was found to be one of the factors associated with compliance to medication therapy, and utilization of health services. The literature reports that upon discharge, patients are significantly deficient in their knowledge of their medications. A small percentage of patients were aware of the reason for taking their medication and the need to change their lifestyle. Aim: To measure the association between patients’ knowledge about medication therapy and the use of health services one month after discharge. Methods: The study population included 140 patients who received new medication upon their discharge.Patients were interviewed by telephone one month after discharge and the following parameters were evaluated: utilization of the health care services, the range of services used (primarily with the family physician, specialists, nurses, visits to the emergency room (ER), consultations with other paramedical professionals), and frequency of health care services utilization. Results: Seventy percent of the patients used 3 of the health service options. The majority of them (88%) consulted their family physician; of these, 40% consulted with their physicians 3 times or more. Among the 60% who consulted a specialists, 35% underwent additional examination. Eighteen percent visited the ER during the month following their hospitalization, 35% of them visited the ER two or more times. Seventeen percent of the patients were re-hospitalized. A significant positive correlation was found between patient's knowledge about medication therapy and utilization of health care services (p=.01, r=.22), and compliance to medication therapy (p=.04, r=.17). Using regression analysis, the frequency of health care services utilization can be explained by patient's knowledge. Conclusion: The findings demonstrate an association between patient's knowledge about medication and utilization of available health care services. It appears that this knowledge contributes to an understanding of physical symptoms and their effect on the prevention of complications.

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Sigma Theta Tau International
July 21, 2004