Medication Literacy among Patients Attending the Focos Orthopaedic Hospital, Pantang, Ghana

Abstract

Introduction: Medication literacy is the degree to which individuals can acquire, understand, disclose, calculate and process information that is specific to their medication to make informed medication and health related decisions in order to use their medications cautiously and adequately. A low level of medication literacy puts the patient at risk of complications such as medication errors which leads to morbidity and mortality. Medication literacy influences patients adherence to their medications, patients who understand why, how and when to take their medications are more likely to take their medications as ordered by their physician. Medication literacy ensures medication safety. Objective: The main objective of the study was to assess the level of medication literacy among patients. Method: A quantitative cross sectional study was undertaken with 190 patients who visited the OPD at FOCOS Orthopaedic Hospital. A questionnaire was used to collect data to assess patients’ level of medication literacy. Descriptive statistics was used to ascertain the sociodemographic characteristics of the patients. Chi square test was employed to determine associations between sociodemographic factors and medication literacy. Results: Thirty six of the participants (19%) had a low level of medication literacy whereas 105 (55%) and 49 (26%) had medium and high levels of medication literacy respectively. Fifty one (26.8%) of the participants had a little knowledge on the side effects of their medications, a higher percentage however did not know what to do when they experienced side effects from their medications (41.1%) and the drugs or substances that interact with their medications (50.5%). This study found significant associations between education (p=0.001), income levels (p=0.000), employment status (p=0.000) and medication literacy. Conclusion: This study has shown that almost 1/5th of the patients attending FOCOS Orthopaedic Hospital had a low level of medication literacy. A higher percentage of patients did not know the side effects of their medications, what to do when they occurred and the drug–drug interaction. Education, income level and employment status significantly influenced medication literacy.