Influences of pictogram‐based instructions in paediatric drug labelling on dosing accuracy among caregivers: a pilot study from Malaysia. Issue 2 (14th February 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chan, Huan‐Keat; Aswad, Edi; Ho, Yiing‐Ee
• Is Part Of: Journal of pharmaceutical health services research. Volume 8:Issue 2(2017:Jun.)
• Page Start: 131
• Page End: 134
• Publication Date: 2017-02-14
• Subjects: caregivers -- drug labelling -- hospital pharmacy services -- medication errors paediatrics; Pharmacy -- Research -- Periodicals; Drugs -- Research -- Periodicals; Medical care -- Research -- Periodicals; Public health -- Research -- Periodicals; Pharmaceutical industry -- Periodicals; Health Services Research -- Periodicals; Economics, Pharmaceutical -- Periodicals; 615.1072
• DOI: 10.1111/jphs.12169
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1759-8885

Abstract

Abstract: Objectives: To investigate the influences of pictographic dosing instructions used in pediatric drug labeling on dosing accuracy. Methods: Children's caregivers who presented to a government‐funded hospital and received a short‐course antibiotic in liquid formulation were enrolled. They were randomized into two groups, receiving either a text‐only label (control; n = 31) or a pictogram‐plus‐text label (intervention; n = 32). Each participant was asked to measure the prescribed dose by using the label as the guidance, and dosing accuracy was assessed through direct observation. Key findings: The intervention group made significantly fewer errors than did the control group (unadjusted OR: 0.192 (95% CI: 0.037, 0.990); P = 0.043). Conclusions: By incorporating pictographic dosing instructions into the paediatric drug labelling, out‐of‐hospital medication errors can potentially be reduced.