Communication About Medicines: Perceptions of the Ambulatory Elderly

Abstract

In two surveys, one about over-the-counter medicines and one about prescription medicines, we asked the older elderly for their perceptions of their communication about medicines. Subjects overwhelmingly reported that doctors were their most used and preferred source of information about medicines. They agreed with statements describing their doctors' communication in positive terms, but they did not agree with statements describing their doctors as sharing decisions. If the subject of medicines was discussed with either doctor or pharmacist, the patient was likely to have introduced the topic. Subjects would like more discussion of side effects. Campaigns to reduce the too frequent misuse of medicines by older patients should take these perceptions into account and are likely to be most effective if they center on improving physicians' communication about medicines with these older elderly.