Do patients experience a personalized patient leaflet as personal?

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study is to explore how patients experience the personal nature of a personalized patient leaflet (PPL), and the role of health literacy in patients’ experience. Methods: A PPL was tailored on patients’ characteristics and medical information. Semi-structured interviews were performed to capture patient experiences. Patients were recruited in four community pharmacies. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Results: In total, 32 participants were interviewed. Over half of them thought they received general information, and thus did not recognize the personal nature. Experience of the personal nature was mainly by patients’ medication overview, name and address information and the use of vocative case (‘your dosage’). Respondents with adequate health literacy recognized the personalized information better than those with limited health literacy. Conclusion: Patients do not expect medication information leaflets to be personalized. Pharmacy workers should point out the personalized elements of the medicine leaflet during consultation. This might improve patients’ recognition, especially for patients with limited health literacy. Practice implications: Recognition of the personal nature may ensure that medicine information is better read and understood, which may positively impact correct use of medication. Patients need support to understand that the leaflet is personalized.