A telephone survey to determine the experiences of children and their parents/carers, following the initiation of a new medicine

Abstract

Objective: To determine what issues are experienced during the first few weeks of therapy by patients, and their parents/carers, when a child/young person has been prescribed a new medicine. Method: One hundred patients aged ≤18 years of age prescribed a new medicine for ≥6 weeks were recruited from a single UK National Health Service specialist paediatric hospital outpatient pharmacy. Six weeks after the first dispensing of their new medicine the patient or their parent/carer received telephone follow-up by a researcher and verbally completed a questionnaire containing both open and closed questions. Patient or parent/carer experiences were identified and analysed using thematic analysis and descriptive statistics. Results: Eighty-six participants were available for telephone follow-up. Six (7%) had not started their medicine. Paediatric patients and their parents/carers experienced a range of issues during the first few weeks after starting a new medicine. These included additional concerns/questions (24/80, 30%), administration issues (21/80, 26.3%), adverse effects (29/80, 36.3%) and obtaining repeat supplies (12/80, 15%). The Morisky Medication Adherence Scale indicated that 34/78 (43.6%) participants had a high adherence rating, 35/78 (44.9%) medium and 9/78 (11.5%) a low rating. Conclusions: Paediatric patients and their parents/carers experience a range of issues during the first few weeks after starting a new medicine. Further research is required to determine the type of interventions that may further support medicines use in this group of patients.

Publication DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/ejhpharm-2016-000925
Divisions: College of Health & Life Sciences > Aston Pharmacy School
College of Health & Life Sciences
Additional Information: Copyright: Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited.
Uncontrolled Keywords: CLINICAL PHARMACY,medication adherence,medication therapy management,PAEDIATRICS,United Kingdom,Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics(all)
Publication ISSN: 2047-9964
Last Modified: 04 Mar 2024 08:18
Date Deposited: 20 Dec 2016 16:20
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Related URLs: http://www.scop ... tnerID=8YFLogxK (Scopus URL)
PURE Output Type: Article
Published Date: 2017-09-01
Published Online Date: 2017-08-29
Accepted Date: 2016-07-25
Submitted Date: 2016-02-23
Authors: Aston, Jeff
Wilson, Keith A.
Sinclair, Anthony
Terry, David (ORCID Profile 0000-0001-7599-0916)

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