scholarly journals Empowering Patients to Self-Manage Common Infections: Qualitative Study Informing the Development of an Evidence-Based Patient Information Leaflet

Antibiotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1113
Author(s):  
Catherine V. Hayes ◽  
Bláthnaid Mahon ◽  
Eirwen Sides ◽  
Rosie Allison ◽  
Donna M. Lecky ◽  
...  

Common self-limiting infections can be self-managed by patients, potentially reducing consultations and unnecessary antibiotic use. This qualitative study informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) aimed to explore healthcare professionals’ (HCPs) and patients’ needs on provision of self-care and safety-netting advice for common infections. Twenty-seven patients and seven HCPs participated in semi-structured focus groups (FGs) and interviews. An information leaflet was iteratively developed and reviewed by participants in interviews and FGs, and an additional 5 HCPs, and 25 patients (identifying from minority ethnic groups) via online questionnaires. Qualitative data were analysed thematically, double-coded, and mapped to the TDF. Participants required information on symptom duration, safety netting, self-care, and antibiotics. Patients felt confident to self-care and were averse to consulting with HCPs unnecessarily but struggled to assess symptom severity. Patients reported seeking help for children or elderly dependents earlier. HCPs’ concerns included patients’ attitudes and a lack of available monitoring of advice given to patients. Participants believed community pharmacy should be the first place that patients seek advice on common infections. The patient information leaflet on common infections should be used in primary care and community pharmacy to support patients to self-manage symptoms and determine when further help is required.

2021 ◽  
Vol 108 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
S Sravanam ◽  
M Vella-Baldacchino ◽  
J Kitson

Abstract Introduction Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES) is a medical emergency. Patients with symptoms should seek medical attention immediately to prevent long-term neurological consequences. At our hospital, patients with back pain due to prolapsed vertebral discs are discharged with verbal advice about red-flag signs of CES. Studies have shown that patients retain only around half the information discussed in verbal consultations. Practice suggests that verbal advice combined with a patient information leaflet (PIL) allows for better safety-netting. Method In this study, we designed a new PIL reflecting latest British Association of Spinal Surgeons guidance. We then examined its impact on patient understanding and safety-netting of CES. Fifty patients who attended the Lister Hospital back pain service between September 2019 and August 2020 were randomly selected. Patients received a copy of the new PIL and were asked to complete a short questionnaire. Results Out of 26 respondents, over 86% (vs 59%) agreed/strongly agreed that the PIL helped them understand the red-flag signs of CES better. Furthermore, 81% said they felt better informed about CES than at the point of discharge from hospital. Conclusions This shows that the use of an effective way of educating patients about the red-flag signs of a medical emergency like CES.


2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Inger Askehave ◽  
Karen Korning Zethsen

Since becoming mandatory in the EU in 1992, the patient information leaflet (PIL) has been the subject of an on-going discussion regarding its ability to provide easily understandable information. This study examines whether the lay-friendliness of Danish PILs has improved from 2000 to 2012 according to the Danish consumers. A reproduction of a questionnaire study from 2000 was carried out. The responses of the 2012 survey were compared to those of the 2000 survey and the analysis showed that Danes are less inclined to read the PIL in 2012 compared to 2000 and that the general interest in PILs has decreased. The number of respondents who deem the PIL easy to read has gone down. According to Danish consumers, the lay-friendliness of PILs has not improved from 2000 to 2012 and a very likely explanation could be that the PIL as a genre has become far too regulated and complex to live up to its original intentions. On the basis of the empirical results the article furthermore offers suggestions for practice changes.


Author(s):  
Eldhose Varghese ◽  
Irrin Poulose ◽  
Chaitanya Sagar G ◽  
Jennifer Ann Jose ◽  
Mintu Mathew Ms

Tuberculosis (TB) is potentially airborne severe infectious disease which requires long term treatment. It considerably affects the physical and mental health quality of the patient’s life. Appropriate patient counselling with the help of Patient Information Leaflet will help to improve the patient’s quality of life and overall treatment outcome. To enhance the health related quality of life in pulmonary tuberculosis patients by providing patient counselling with the aid of patient information leaflet. An interventional study was carried out for six months in 80 patients diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis from the OP & IP of Tuberculosis and Chest Department of a medical college hospital. The HRQoL was assessed using the SF-36 questionnaire. Appropriate patient counselling was provided with the help of Patient Information Leaflet. In our study, a total of 80 patients were enrolled, out of which 49[61%] were Out-patients, and 31[39%] were In-patients. All the 8 sub domains of the SF-36 survey show statistical significance with improvement in 2nd Visit (after counselling) when compared with the baseline visit. The demographic variables like smoking, low socioeconomic status, allergies, family history show statistically significant association with overall HRQoL. The HRQOL of the pulmonary tuberculosis patients were initially low before the start of Anti-TB therapy, after providing proper patient counselling using patient information leaflet the HRQoL scores were found to be increased on the subsequent re-visits, which implies the need of proper patient counselling and follow-up in PTB for the better quality of life.


BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. e025101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leah Ffion Jones ◽  
Rebecca Owens ◽  
Anna Sallis ◽  
Diane Ashiru-Oredope ◽  
Tracey Thornley ◽  
...  

ObjectivesCommunity pharmacists and their staff have the potential to contribute to antimicrobial stewardship (AMS). However, their barriers and opportunities are not well understood. The aim was to investigate the experiences and perceptions of community pharmacists and their teams around AMS to inform intervention development.DesignInterviews and focus groups were used to explore the views of pharmacists, pharmacy staff, general practitioners (GPs), members of pharmacy organisations and commissioners. The questioning schedule was developed using the Theoretical Domains Framework which helped inform recommendations to facilitate AMS in community pharmacy.Results8 GPs, 28 pharmacists, 13 pharmacy staff, 6 representatives from pharmacy organisations in England and Wales, and 2 local stakeholders participated.Knowledge and skills both facilitated or hindered provision of self-care and compliance advice by different grades of pharmacy staff. Some staff were not aware of the impact of giving self-care and compliance advice to help control antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The pharmacy environment created barriers to AMS; this included lack of time of well-qualified staff leading to misinformation from underskilled staff to patients about the need for antibiotics or the need to visit the GP, this was exacerbated by lack of space. AMS activities were limited by absent diagnoses on antibiotic prescriptions.Several pharmacy staff felt that undertaking patient examinations, questioning the rationale for antibiotic prescriptions and performing audits would allow them to provide more tailored AMS advice.ConclusionsInterventions are required to overcome a lack of qualified staff, time and space to give patients AMS advice. Staff need to understand how self-care and antibiotic compliance advice can help control AMR. A multifaceted educational intervention including information for staff with feedback about the advice given may help. Indication for a prescription would enable pharmacists to provide more targeted antibiotic advice. Commissioners should consider the pharmacists’ role in examining patients, and giving advice about antibiotic prescriptions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 133 (09) ◽  
pp. 822-824
Author(s):  
J D Sinnott ◽  
H Mahoney ◽  
A S Wilkinson ◽  
S J Broomfield

AbstractBackgroundEvidence from the literature shows that clinicians’ knowledge of rules and legislation surrounding driving can often be poor. A closed-loop audit was conducted to gauge the level of driving advice given to patients with dizziness.MethodsThe clinical notes of 100 patients referred to the vertigo clinic at a tertiary referral centre were retrospectively searched for evidence of driving advice. Education sessions were undertaken and a patient information leaflet was developed before a second cycle of the audit.Results and conclusionThe proportion of patients having documented evidence of receiving driving advice increased from 6.3 per cent to 10.4 per cent. It is therefore clear that, despite this improvement, a significant proportion of patients’ notes did not contain documentation about driving. This is likely because of many reasons, including individual interpretation by clinicians. This paper provides a reminder of the rules, and discusses their interpretation and implementation in an increasingly medicolegal environment.


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