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. 2022 Nov 25;22(1):2182.
doi: 10.1186/s12889-022-14573-z.

Self-reported medication information needs among medication users in a general population aged 40 years and above - the Tromsø study

Mari J Walquist  1   2 , Kristian Svendsen  3 , Beate H Garcia  3 , Trine S Bergmo  3   4 , Anne Elise Eggen  5 , Kjell H Halvorsen  3 , Lars Småbrekke  3 , Unni Ringberg  5 , Elin C Lehnbom  3 , Marit Waaseth  3
Affiliations

Self-reported medication information needs among medication users in a general population aged 40 years and above - the Tromsø study

Mari J Walquist et al. BMC Public Health. .

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the prevalence and associated factors of self-reported medication information needs among medication users in a general population aged 40 years and above - The Tromsø Study.

Methods: Cross-sectional study of medication users (n = 10,231) among participants in the Tromsø Study, a descriptive analysis of questionnaire data and multivariable logistic regression (n = 9,194).

Results: Sixteen percent of medication users expressed a need for more information about own medications. Overall, medication users agreed to a higher degree to have received information from the GP compared to the pharmacy. Concerned medication users and those disagreeing to have received information about side effects had the highest odds for needing more information (OR 5.07, 95% CI 4.43-5.81) and (OR 2.21, 95% CI 1.83-2.68), respectively. Medication users who used heart medications (e.g., nitroglycerin, antiarrhythmics, anticoagulants) (OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.46-2.01), medication for hypothyroidism (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.13-1.64) or had moderately health anxiety had expressed need for medication information. Whereas medication users with lower education, those that never used internet to search for health advice, and medication users who disagreed to have received information about reason-for-use were associated with lower odds (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.62-0.91), (OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.74-0.98) and (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.53-0.88), respectively.

Conclusion: This study demonstrated that there is need for more information about own medications in a general population aged 40 years and above and shed light on several characteristics of medication users with expressed information need which is important when tailoring the right information to the right person.

Keywords: Health anxiety; Health survey; Information sources; Medication adherence; Medication information need; Population based.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no competing interest to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow chart of the study population. Regular medication users used prescription or non-prescription medications the last four weeks. Study population of medication users were participants with non-missing dependent variable, i.e., the need for more information. Multiple logistic regression population represent medication users with non-missing values on all variables included in the analysis. Figure created at lucidchart.com
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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