Improving Parental Understanding of Medication Instructions Through a Pictogram-Based Intervention

Medication Errors Clinical Trial

Official title: An RCT to Reduce Liquid Medication Dosing Errors and Improve Adherence in Caregivers of Young Children Through a Pictogram-Based Intervention

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

Liquid medication administration errors are common, and place children at risk for adverse events. Caregivers with low socioeconomic status (SES), low education and poor health literacy skills are at increased risk for errors. In this study, we seek to assess whether at-risk parents who received a plain language, pictogram-based intervention would have reduced medication dosing errors and improved medication adherence.

Clinical Trial Description

Evidence suggests that errors by parents and caregivers in administering medications to their children are frequent. These errors, which include inaccurate dosing as well as nonadherence to medication regimens, place children at risk for morbidity and mortality. Misdosing is prevalent, with 50% or more of pediatric caregivers either measuring an incorrect dose or reporting a dose of liquid medication given outside the recommended range. Of further concern are reports of an overall poor adherence rate of 50% for pediatric medications, with implications for treatment failure and drug resistance.

Few studies have examined strategies for decreasing medication administration errors in pediatric patients. Pictograms represent a promising approach in which simple diagrams are used to improve understanding of concepts. Pictorial-enhanced written materials have been shown to improve comprehension and adherence with medical directions, particularly for patients with low literacy.

We developed a pictogram-based intervention to decrease dosing errors and improve adherence. In this study, we sought to assess whether this intervention would reduce medication dosing errors and improve adherence in a pediatric emergency room serving at-risk families. ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Prevention

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Medication Errors

• NCT number: NCT00537433
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: New York University School of Medicine
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 1
• Start date: July 2006
• Completion date: January 2007