The evaluation of pharmaceutical pictograms among elderly patients in community pharmacy settings – a multicenter pilot study

Figures & data

Figure 1 Patients with a satisfactory level of health literacy (NVS ≥4) by age group.

Abbreviation: NVS, Newest Vital Sign.

Figure 2 Patients with a satisfactory level of health literacy (NVS ≥4) by level of education.

Abbreviation: NVS, Newest Vital Sign.

Table 1 Characteristics of the study population

Characteristics of the population	Patients, n=68 (%)
Total study population	68 (100)
Female	50 (73.53)
Male	18 (26.47)
Age (years)
Average ± SD	72.15±6.19
Education	68 (100)
Primary	7 (10.29)
Vocational	14 (20.59)
Secondary	31 (45.59)
Higher	16 (23.53)
The size of the place of residence	68 (100)
Village	12 (17.65)
Small town (up to 20,000 residents)	11 (16.18)
Medium-sized town (20,000–100,000 residents)	28 (41.18)
City (>100,000 residents)	17 (25.00)
Health literacy	68 (100)
Satisfactory	24 (35.29)
Average	23 (33.82)
Low	21 (30.88)

Figure 3 Flowchart of the evaluation of pictograms.

Table 2 Pharmaceutical pictograms which obtained satisfactory evaluation parameters

Number	Pictogram	Meaning	Patients (n)	Guessability (%)	Translucency (average)	Recall test (%)
1.		Apply to the eye	16	100.0	6.0	100.0
2.		Drink water after taking medicine	23	95.7	6.78	95.7
3.		Do not drink alcohol	19	95.0	6.75	95.0
4.		Take two tablets in the morning/around 0800 hours	18	94.4	6.67	94.4
5.		Keep in the fridge	27	92.6	6.91	100.0
6.		Use 5 mL of the medicine in liquid form/use half the size of the dispenser attached to the packaging of the medicine	22	90.9	6.91	100.0
7.		Apply to the ear	20	90.0	6.35	100.0
8.		Use no more than 30 days after opening	33	87.9	6.41	94.0
9.		Take the medicine on an empty stomach/take the medicine before a meal/take the medicine an hour before the meal	14	85.8	5.86	100.0
10.		Take one tablet at midday/at 1200 hours	14	85.7	6.50	92.9
11.		Injection	20	85.0	6.10	95.0
12.		Take the medicine after meal/an hour after meal	13	84.6	6.61	92.3
13.		May impair driving/do not drive	17	82.4	6.38	94.1
14.		Apply to the nose	30	80.0	6.17	93.3
15.		Inhale/inhaler	15	80.0	6.80	100.0
16.		Apply to skin/rub the medicine in the skin	24	79.2	6.61	87.5
17.		Rinse mouth with water after taking the medicine	14	78.6	5.79	92.9
18.		Take three tablets in the evening/around 1900 hours	13	76.9	6.31	100.0
19.		Replacement medicine	33	75.8	6.03	93.4
20.		Use the medicine once a week (use medicine every Friday)	28	75.0	6.03	78.6
21.		Take half of the tablet before sleep/around 2200 hours	15	73.3	6.53	100.0
22.		Apply to skin/rub the medicine in the skin	24	70.8	6.67	100.0

Notes: All pictograms developed in the project are owned and registered in the Polish Patent Office. English translations for Polish words shown in the pictograms: woda = water; dni = days; 1 godz = 1 hour; odpowiednik = equivalent.