This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Bryant, S. G. Articles by Olins, N. J. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Bryant, S. G. Articles by Olins, N. J. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Age Effects on Patient Drug Attribution Judgments

Results from Two Postmarketing Surveillance Methods

University of Texas Medical Branch

Seymour Fisher, PhD

University of Texas Medical Branch

David B. Larson, MD, MSPH

National Institute of Mental Health

Nancy J. Olins, MA

AARP Pharmacy Service

Data were obtained on patients' attribution of symptoms using two different post-marketing surveillance methods. In the patient-initiated method, outpatients were randomly assigned to have a printed notice conspicuously attached to the outside of their medication bags; the "outsert" requested the patients to monitor themselves during the next 2 weeks and to report via a toll-free telephone number any new or unusual symptoms. In the staff-initiated method, other patients filling the same target drug prescriptions did not receive any outsert but were identified at the pharmacy for a telephone interview 10 to 14 days later. The target drugs were chosen from two classes for which the major adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are well identified: oral antibiotics and tricyclic antidepressants. During the interview, for each reported symptom the patient was asked whether it might have been caused by the target drug. Results indicated that older patients, irrespective of the surveillance method or the drug class, appear to be capable of discriminating probable ADRs at least as well as or possibly better than younger patients.

Journal of Aging and Health, Vol. 4, No. 1, 101-111 (1992)
DOI: 10.1177/089826439200400106


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?