Patient information leaflets: informing or frightening? A focus group study exploring patients¿ emotional reactions and subsequent behavior towards package leaflets of commonly prescribed medications in family practices

Conclusions: Future PILs need to convey potential risk information in a language that is less frightening while retaining the information content required to make informed decisions about the prescribed medication. Thus, during the production process greater emphasis needs to be placed on testing the degree of emotional arousal provoked in patients when reading risk information to allow them to undertake a benefit-risk-assessment of their medication that is based on rational rather than emotional (fearful) reactions.
Source: BMC Family Practice - Category: Primary Care Authors: Source Type: research