Berry, D., Raynor, T., Knapp, P., & Bersellini, E. (2004). Over the counter medicines and the need for immediate action: A further evaluation of european commission recommended wordings for communicating risk. Patient Education and Counseling, 53(2), 129-134.

Berry, D.; Raynor, T.; Knapp, P.; Bersellini, E.

2004

Berry, D., Raynor, T., Knapp, P., & Bersellini, E. (2004). Over the counter medicines and the need for immediate action: A further evaluation of european commission recommended wordings for communicating risk. Patient Education and Counseling, 53(2), 129-134.

geen

A study examined people’s interpretation of European Commission (EC) recommended verbal descriptors for risk of medicine side effects, and actions to take if they do occur. Members of the general public were presented with a fictitious (but realistic) scenario about suffering from a stiff neck, visiting the local pharmacy and purchasing an over the counter (OTC) medicine (Ibruprofen). The medicine came with an information leaflet which included information about the medicine’s side effects, their risk of occurrence, and recommended actions to take if adverse effects are experienced. Probability of occurrence was presented numerically (6%) or verbally, using the recommended EC descriptor (common). Results showed that, in line with findings of our earlier work with prescribed medicines, participants significantly overestimated side effect risk. Furthermore, the differences in interpretation were reflected in their judgements of satisfaction, side effect severity, risk to health, and intention to take the medicine. Finally, we observed no significant difference between people’s interpretation of the recommended action descriptors (‘immediately’ and ‘as soon as possible’).

In line with the findings from our earlier work with prescribed medicines, the present study has shown that consumers significantly overestimate the risk of side effects occurring when interpreting the verbal descriptor ‘common’. In fact, only one participant produced a probability estimate that was within the range assigned to the term ‘common’ in the EC guideline (i.e. 1–10%). Furthermore, participants who received the verbal descriptor were significantly less satisfied with the information provided, and rated side effect severity and risk to health to be significantly greater, than those who received the equivalent numerical value. They also produced significantly lower ratings of likelihood of taking the medicine. These effects are particularly striking given that the leaflet listed only one relatively mild side effect (as opposed to four, as in our earlier studies with prescribed medicines). The second key finding of the present study is that we could detect no reliable difference between people’s interpretation of the terms ‘immediately’ and ‘as soon as possible’. Thus, there appears to be no evidence to support the EC’s recommendation that the former term should be used when the consumer needs to seek medical help urgently and the latter term should be used when the need is less urgent.

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