Written Medication Information Research Articles

Improving health equity: Evaluation of accessible written medication information for patients with visual impairment

BackgroundCurrently, there are limited options for patients with visual impairment or blindness to obtain accessible written medication information. ObjectivesThe objectives of this study were to determine the availability of accessible medication guides provided by the manufacturer and identify common barriers reported by patients with visual impairment in obtaining accessible written medication information in health care settings. DesignProspective, cross-sectional study. Setting and participantsParticipants of the survey portion included individuals with visual impairment who were administered an online questionnaire. Outcome measuresAvailability of accessible medication guides as verified by 39 manufacturers and accessibility assessed using a checklist based on revised Section 508 guidelines and testing with a screen reader for accessibility. To identify barriers in obtaining written medication information, respondents were recruited by Qualtrics to fill out an anonymous, online 13-question survey from September to October 2022. ResultsAll manufacturers did not provide an accessible medication guide or an alternative format. Common errors found by the screen reader were lack of a description for images (alternative text) and headings were not available to help with navigation. As for the survey, a total of 699 participants responded. The median age was 35 years and 49% of respondents were female. A paper copy was the most common format (38%) provided in the pharmacy and barriers identified included lack of Braille or electronic options and personnel not equipped to serve patients with visual impairment. ConclusionWith the lack of accessible written medication information as a barrier to health equity, pharmacists and manufacturers need to provide alternative formats such as audio, electronic formats, or Braille to patients with visual impairment.

Enhancing Patient Understanding of Medication Risks and Benefits.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of 2 interventions, including the DrugFactsBox format for presenting written medication information and the SMART (Strategic Memory Advanced Reasoning Training) program designed to enhance gist (i.e., “bottom‐line” meaning) reasoning ability.MethodsWe used a 2 × 2 factorial research design. A total of 286 patients with rheumatoid arthritis were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups, including DrugFactsBox with the SMART program, DrugFactsBox without the SMART program, other consumer medication information (CMI) with the SMART program, and other CMI without the SMART program. Data were collected via telephone interviews and online questionnaires at 4 time points, including baseline and 6‐week, 3‐month, and 6‐month time points following baseline. The primary outcome variable was informed decision‐making, which was defined as making a value‐consistent decision concerning use of disease‐modifying antirheumatic drugs based on adequate knowledge.ResultsWe found no main effects for the 2 interventions, either alone or in combination. However, there was a significant interaction between assignment to the SMART/no SMART groups and informed decision‐making at baseline. Among participants in the SMART groups who did not meet the criteria for informed decision‐making at baseline, 42.5% met the criteria at the 6‐month follow‐up, compared to 23.6% of participants in the no SMART groups (mean difference 18.9 [95% confidence interval 5.6, 32.2]; P = 0.007). This difference was driven by increased knowledge in the SMART groups. Among participants who met the criteria for informed decision‐making at baseline, the difference between the SMART and no SMART groups was not statistically significant.ConclusionParticipation in a theory‐driven program to enhance gist reasoning may have a beneficial effect on informed decision‐making among patients with inadequate knowledge concerning therapeutic options.

Older adult and family caregiver experiences with prescription medication labels and their suggestions for label improvement

BackgroundPrescription medication labels (PMLs) are an important source of written medication information for patients. However, real-world PMLs do not entirely conform with available labelling best practices and guidelines. Given this disconnect, older adults remain particularly at risk of misinterpreting their PMLs. Past studies have commonly assessed hypothetical PMLs, warranting studies that explore the lived experiences of older adults with real-world PMLs. Furthermore, the perspective of family caregivers of older adults is yet to be studied. Objective(s)This qualitative study documented the challenges faced by older adults and their family caregivers in using real-world PMLs, their strategies to cope with these challenges, and their suggestions to improve existing PMLs. MethodsWe conducted two focus group discussions (n = 17) and 30 in-depth interviews with older adults (n = 20; including those who can read in English and those with limited English proficiency) and caregivers (n = 10) in Singapore. The data were systematically assigned to codes that were continuously refined to accommodate emergent themes. ResultsChallenges, coping strategies and suggested improvements were related to the comprehensibility, availability, readability and consistency of medication information on PMLs. ConclusionsReal-world PMLs continue to pose challenges for older adults and their caregivers, necessitating them to seek unique and personal coping strategies. The identified PML improvements, desired by older adults and their caregivers, urge healthcare systems to implement improved PMLs. Future research should explore system-level logistical, financial, and administrative barriers (or opportunities) that hinder (or facilitate) this implementation.

We Built It, But They Are Not Coming: Exploring Deterrents to Consumer Medication Information Use.

Given the prevalence of prescription medication use, it is important that consumers are aware of the benefits and risks of taking their prescribed medications. One approach to informing consumers in North America is to provide them with Consumer Medication Information (CMI), the paper leaflets given to consumers when they fill a prescription for the first time. Unfortunately, reported use rates of written medication information are quite low. As part of a broader study investigating memory, perceptions, preferences and information needs around CMI, this study specifically examined reported deterrents to CMI use. Findings from this study revealed three areas that appear to influence CMI use: 1) Documentation, how CMI is designed and what it contains; 2) Provision, how and when CMI is given to consumers; and 3) Context, what the individual's characteristics and experiences are. These three factors warrant further investigation to reveal more of their unique facets and their relative influences on CMI use. That is, some aspects may be more influential than others.

Medication-related problems during transfer from hospital to home care: baseline data from Switzerland.

Background The shift from inpatient to ambulatory care has resulted in an increase in home care patients. Little is known regarding medication safety associated with patient transfer from hospital to home care. Objective To evaluate medication-related problems in patients transferring from hospital to home care in Switzerland. Setting A non-for-profit home care organization in the city of Lucerne/Switzerland. Methods We conducted a prospective observational study, including patients aged ≥ 64years and receiving ≥ 4 medications at hospital discharge. Two structured questionnaires assessing the transfer process were completed by home care nurses. Prescription quality was assessed using a PCNE Type 2b Medication Review. Main outcome measures The quality of the transfer process was measured comparing agreed-upon with reported parameters. Prescription quality was analyzed assessing the unambiguity of the prescription. Potentially inappropriate medications (Priscus® list), contraindications, duplications and interactions, and clinical pharmacist-identified potential medication-related problems were collected. Results Study patients (n = 100) received 8.6 ± 3.5 regularly administered medications. Only 5/100 patients had a complete set of written discharge information. At the time of the first visit, 13/100 patients had no written medication information available. Discharge medication prescriptions were clear to nurses in 62% of patients. In 20 patients, the required medications were unavailable, resulting in 19 medication errors. Assessment by a clinical pharmacist revealed only 33/100 patients had a clear discharge prescription. Of a total of 984 prescribed drugs, 16% were considered to be ambiguous, 22 (2.2%) were potentially inappropriate. 7/984 drugs were contraindicated, 8 were duplicates. Conclusion In addition to the known risk factors in patients transferring from hospital to home care (age, polymedication, multiple providers), 3 major problems impacted upon medication safety: fragmented communication, unreliable medication availability and a poor prescription quality. Clinical pharmacists are an important option to improve medication safety ass.

Evaluation of Web-Based Consumer Medication Information: Content and Usability of 4 Australian Websites.

BackgroundMedication is the most common intervention in health care, and written medication information can affect consumers’ medication-related behavior. Research has shown that a large proportion of Australians search for medication information on the Internet.ObjectiveTo evaluate the medication information content, based on consumer medication information needs, and usability of 4 Australian health websites: Better Health Channel, myDr, healthdirect, and NPS MedicineWise .MethodsTo assess website content, the most common consumer medication information needs were identified using (1) medication queries to the healthdirect helpline (a telephone helpline available across most of Australia) and (2) the most frequently used medications in Australia. The most frequently used medications were extracted from Australian government statistics on use of subsidized medicines in the community and the National Census of Medicines Use. Each website was assessed to determine whether it covered or partially covered information and advice about these medications. To assess website usability, 16 consumers participated in user testing wherein they were required to locate 2 pieces of medication information on each website. Brief semistructured interviews were also conducted with participants to gauge their opinions of the websites.ResultsInformation on prescription medication was more comprehensively covered on all websites (3 of 4 websites covered 100% of information) than nonprescription medication (websites covered 0%-67% of information). Most websites relied on consumer medicines information leaflets to convey prescription medication information to consumers. Information about prescription medication classes was less comprehensive, with no website providing all information examined about antibiotics and antidepressants. Participants (n=16) were able to locate medication information on websites in most cases (accuracy ranged from 84% to 91%). However, a number of usability issues relating to website navigation and information display were identified. For example, websites not allowing combinations of search terms to be entered in search boxes and continuous blocks of text without subheadings.ConclusionsOf the 4 Australian health information websites tested, none provided consumers with comprehensive medication information on both prescription and nonprescription medications in a user-friendly way. Using data on consumer information needs and user testing to guide medication information content and website design is a useful approach to inform consumer website development.

Refining Prescription Warning Labels Using Patient Feedback: A Qualitative Study.

The complexity of written medication information hinders patients’ understanding and leads to patient misuse of prescribed medications. Incorporating patient feedback in designing prescription warning labels (PWLs) is crucial in enhancing patient comprehension of medication warning instructions. This qualitative study explored patient feedback on five newly designed PWLs. In-depth semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with 21 patients, who were 18 years and older, spoke English, and took a prescription medication. These patients were shown different variations of the five most commonly used PWLs-Take with Food, Do not Drink Alcohol, Take with a Full glass of Water, Do not Chew or Break, and Protect from Sunlight. The 60-minute interviews explored feedback on patient comprehension of the PWL instructions and their suggestions for improving the clarity of the PWLs. At the end of the interview, patient self-reported socio-demographic information was collected with a 3-minute survey and a brief health literacy assessment was completed using the Newest Vital Sign. Twenty-one patients completed the interviews. Most patients were female (n = 15, 71.4%) with ages ranging from 23 to 66 years old (mean: 47.6 ± 13.3). The mean health literacy score was 2.4 on a scale of 0–6. Qualitative content analysis based on the text, pictures, and placement of the PWLs on the pill bottle showed preferences for including ‘WARNING’ on the PWL to create alertness, inclusion of a picture together with the text, yellow color highlighting behind the text, and placement of the PWL on the front of the pill bottle. Although patients had positive opinions of the redesigned PWLs, patients wanted further improvements to the content and design of the PWLs for enhanced clarity and understandability.

Perceptions of Spanish-speaking clientele of patient care services in a community pharmacy.

A paucity of studies exists that have assessed community pharmacy preferences of Spanish-speaking patients living in areas of the U.S. with rapidly growing Hispanic populations. The qualitative approach to this research affords a unique opportunity to further explore perceptions of the Spanish-speaking population. To identify perceptions of Spanish-speaking patients living in the U.S. with a focus on the care provided in community pharmacies, as well as to determine their satisfaction with community pharmacies. Participants were recruited after weekly Spanish-speaking church services for approximately one month. Qualitative, semi-structured individual interviews to identify perceived unmet patient care needs were conducted in Spanish and transcribed/translated verbatim. Qualitative thematic analysis was used to summarize findings. A written questionnaire was administered to collect patient satisfaction and demographic information, summarized using descriptive statistics. Twelve interviews were conducted by the principal investigator. Primary themes included lack of insurance coupled with high medical care costs serving as a barrier for acquisition of health care, difficulty accessing timely and convenient primary care, perceived negative attitudes from pharmacy personnel, lack of Spanish-speaking health care providers, and the provision of verbal and written medication information in English. The results of this study suggest a great need for health care providers, including pharmacists, to expand outreach services to the Spanish-speaking community. Some examples derived from the interview process include increasing marketing efforts of available services in the Spanish language, hiring Spanish-speaking personnel, and offering medical terminology education classes to Spanish-speaking patients.

Medications package inserts' usefulness to doctors and patients: Sudanese doctors perspective

Background: Written medication information is important for both doctors and patients. In the developing countries, the medication package inserts (PIs) represent the most available and easily accessible source of written medication information. The main objective of the present study was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of Sudanese doctors toward written medication information in the PIs, and its usefulness for both doctors and patients. Methods: Four hundred (n=400) doctors were randomly selected and addressed with an open to answer the questionnaire composed of fifteen questions (n=15). Results: A big majority (95.7%) of the respondents considered the medications’ PIs, which they regularly read (93.2%), as a reliable and useful source of medication information in their prescribing. Only a minority of the respondent doctors (43.6%) used to advise their patients to read the PIs, whereas a majority (62.4%) of respondents believed that patients might find difficulty in understanding written medication information in the PI. The majority (61.3%) of respondent used to rely on pharmacists to provide patients with the needed medication information. The majority of the respondents (82.2%) used to inform their patients about the possible medication side effects. Respondents ranked medications’ dose (79.5%), how to use it (77.3%) and information about side effects (73%) on top of patients’ medication information most needed particulars. Conclusion: Doctors should give more attention to their patients’ medication information specific needs, advice and motivate them to read the PIs before using their medications.

Medication package inserts' usefulness for Sudanese pharmacists and patients: pharmacists' perspective

Background: Written medication information is important to health care professionals and patients, alike. Medication package inserts (PI) can prove useful sources for written medication information for pharmacist and patients. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practice of the Sudanese pharmacists toward PIs. Methods: A total of 120 randomly selected Sudanese community and hospital pharmacists, were addressed with a questionnaire of 14 free to answer closed-ended questions. Results: Results showed clear dominance of the young (96.5%), females (63.3%)pharmacists population, whose majority (90.8%) had their undergraduates studies in Sudan. Majority (79.2%) of respondents was keen to read the PIs, and (75.8%)considered them as reliable written medication information sources and references. Correlation between respondents’ reliability and reading of PIs was significant (**p=0.038). How to use medications (95%) their dose (92.5%), and compliance (67.5%), topped the medication information particulars provided by respondents to patients. Drug-interactions and side-effects (36.7%) were downplayed by the respondents. Only a small minority (21.7%) of respondents used to advise patients to read PIs. Majority (85%) of respondents believed that PIs were difficult for patients to understand. Their texts’ language (68.2%), technical terminology (75%) and font size (10%) were cited as main barriers to understandability. Conclusions: To secure usefulness of PIs, they shall be written in lay terminology of patients’ native language. Pharmacists shall seek independent sources of medication information, advice and motivate patients to read PIs and keep them for ongoing reference.

APhA–APRS awardees describe patient care, mentoring

Pharmacy Today asked the honorees of the APhA Academy of Pharmaceutical Research & Science (APhA–APRS) to share some thoughts on their careers. The themes that emerged were patient care and mentoring the next generation. This year's winning research papers emerged from projects undertaken in graduate school or residencies. All APhA–APRS awards, except for the Ebert Prize, required APhA membership. Here are the awardees in their own words.

Impact of Interpreters on the Receipt of New Prescription Medication Information Among Spanish-Speaking Latinos

For Latinos, limited English proficiency (LEP) is a barrier to receiving important information about a new medication prescription. Access to interpreters may impact the receipt of important medication-related information. To examine the association between interpreter use and reports of new prescription medication advice among Latinos with LEP. We examined cross-sectional survey data from 1590 Latino adults with LEP from 8 sites across the United States. The main outcomes are 5 measures of new prescription medication advising: (1) explanation of medication purpose, (2) explanation of possible side effects, (3) explanation of medication directions, (4) receipt of written information in Spanish from pharmacy, and (5) receipt of medicine bottle with Spanish language label. Among patients prescribed a new medication, 72% reported being told about the purpose of the medication, 52% about possible side effects, and 70% about how to take the new medicine. Forty-four percent said they received written medication information in Spanish from pharmacy, and 47% said their medicine bottle label was written in Spanish. Interpreter use was independently associated with receiving explanations about: possible side effects (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.81; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.16-2.45); medication directions (AOR = 2.50; 95% CI: 1.67-3.59); and medication purpose (AOR = 3.55; 95% CI: 2.14-4.65). Among Latinos with LEP, interpreter use increases patient receipt of important information when a new medication is prescribed. There is a continuing need for effective policies and interventions to improve provider communication with LEP patients.

Latino patients' preferences for medication information and pharmacy services

To examine (1) Latino patients' language preferences for receiving verbal and written medication information in community pharmacies, (2) the types of problems and concerns Latino patients report about using their medications, and (3) the factors that Latino patients believe are important when choosing a community pharmacy. Individuals were eligible to participate if they were 18 years of age or older, if they self-identified as being Latino, and if they or their children were currently taking prescription medications. All 93 participating individuals were interviewed in Spanish. The majority of patients did not always receive their prescription labels or written medication information in Spanish. Approximately 52% of the respondents preferred to receive verbal information in Spanish without an interpreter, and 21.5% preferred to receive it in Spanish with an interpreter. Most respondents (70%) preferred written information in Spanish, and 21.5% preferred written information in both Spanish and English. The most commonly reported problems were difficulty paying for medications, difficulty reading the English on the prescription labels, and adverse effects. Participants valued pharmacies with friendly and respectful employees. Study participants reported many problems or concerns in using their medications, and the majority preferred receiving written and verbal information about their medication in Spanish. Pharmacies need to find better ways of providing services to the rapidly growing Latino population.

Medication information for Flemish inpatients with major depression: evaluation and construct validity of the Consumer Information Rating Form

Evaluating the quality of written medication information is a major topic of concern when patient pamphlets are developed. The objective of this study is to evaluate a patient pamphlet on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) by calculating Flesch-Douma readability scores and by applying the Consumer Information Rating Form (CIRF) to Flemish inpatients with major depression taking SSRIs. The pamphlet was evaluated by calculating Flesch-Douma readability scores. The study enrolled patients with major depression taking SSRIs. Patient received a SSRI pamphlet and completed a self-administered structured questionnaire consisting of the adapted CIRF and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Construct validity was explored by means of factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha. The Flesch-Douma readability scores showed that the pamphlet was easy to read, had much interest in the reader and was very popular. The sample of 96 patients consisted of doubtful/definite cases in terms of anxiety (10.65 +/- 4.90) and doubtful cases in terms of depression (8.91 +/- 5.23). Using the CIRF, patients assigned positive scores to comprehensibility, utility and design quality of the pamphlet. Factor analysis on the original CIRF confirmed the three original factors (P < 0.001). Cronbach's alpha of factors ranged from 0.69 to 0.83. The SSRI pamphlet is of good quality. Our study supported the construct validity of the CIRF to Flemish inpatients with major depression.

A Systematic Review of Interventions to Improve Medication Taking in Elderly Patients Prescribed Multiple Medications

A range of behavioural, educational and provider-focused strategies have been tested, individually or in combination, for improving medication adherence. The results of various interventions in different patient groups, including the elderly, have been subjected to systematic reviews and meta-analyses, but because most studies have focused on improving adherence to one drug or drug group, they may have limited applicability to the general elderly population who more commonly use multiple medications for multiple co-morbidities.A systematic review of controlled studies aimed at improving adherence in community-living elderly patients prescribed at least three, or a mean/median of four or more, long-term medications was undertaken. Only studies which included a minimum of 60 patients in each group, followed patients for >or=4 weeks after intervention, and measured adherence to all medications at baseline and at the conclusion of the study were considered for inclusion in the review. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria. All eight studies used verbal and/or written medication information in combination with behavioural strategies with or without provider-focused strategies. Pharmaceutical care was the theoretical framework of the interventions used in the majority of the studies. Only four studies demonstrated a significant improvement in adherence as a result of the interventions. The relative change in adherence in the intervention groups was highly variable, ranging from -13% to +55.5% (mean +11.4%). Regular scheduled patient follow-up along with a multi-compartment dose administration aid was an effective strategy for maintaining adherence in one study, while group education combined with individualized medication cards was successful in another study. Medication review by pharmacists with a focus on regimen simplification was found to be effective in two studies.Overall, as a result of inconsistent methodology and findings across the eight studies, we were unable to draw firm conclusions in favour of any particular intervention. Innovative strategies for enhancing medication adherence in the elderly and reliable measures of adherence are needed. Until further evidence from single-intervention strategies becomes available, combinations of educational and behavioural strategies should be used to improve medication adherence in the elderly.

Using alternative methodologies for evaluating patient medication leaflets

A variety of direct and indirect methods have been used to evaluate written medication information; however, no published research has validated assessment tools or presented direct consumer assessment of patient information leaflets (PILs) provided in US community pharmacy (CP). We report on two new instruments: the medication information design assessment scale (MIDAS), an indirect measure of design quality administered by the investigators, and the consumer information rating form (CIRF), a direct measure of comprehensibility, utility, and overall design quality applied by a consumer panel. These were used to assess two types of PILs: 36 CP-PILs obtained from community pharmacies and 3 Model-PILs incorporating recommended design characteristics. The validity of the MIDAS was demonstrated in two ways. First, as predicted, the Model-PILs were rated more positively by consumers. We also found a significant positive correlation between the number of design criteria incorporated in a CP-PIL (as measured by the MIDAS score) and the consumers rating of design quality (CIRF). In conclusion, we confirmed the importance of design characteristics in the production of written medication information and have also developed and validated two easy-to-use tools for the assessment of written medication information.

Providing patients with written medication information.

To review the literature and provide recommendations for the development and dissemination of written medication information to patients and their care providers. A MEDLINE search (1966-1997) of the English-language literature was performed to identify articles pertaining to the development or use of written medication information. A search of the Internet was conducted by using Yahoo as the guide and "medication information" as the search term. Additional resources were obtained through texts, bibliographies, and catalogs from medical publishers. Reports documenting the creation and use of written medication information systems were reviewed, as well as studies of readability and reading skills assessment. Examples of materials available for purchase by laypeople and healthcare providers were also examined. Current statistics support the widespread availability of written medication information for patients and care providers. The goal set forth by the Food and Drug Administration of having 75% of patients receive written information by the year 2000 appears achievable. However, there are still many issues to address. Content is not standardized, and materials are frequently written at reading levels higher than that of the average patient. The development and use of resources requiring only minimal reading skills and an increase in the availability of materials written in Spanish are needed. Written medication information provides a useful addition to counseling by healthcare professionals. A wide variety of prepared materials is available, as well as resources for those interested in developing tools for a specific patient, population, or setting. Healthcare professionals should be aware of the limitations of some resources. Content and readability must be appropriate for the intended audience for these tools to serve a useful role in patient education.

Attitude of physicians toward patient package inserts for medication information in Belgium.

In Belgium, the distribution of medications to outpatients in community pharmacies is almost exclusively by branded unit-of-use packages, with a package insert inside every package. At the time of the study (spring 1990), the implementation of legislation that mandated a shift from highly technical documents to patient package inserts (PPIs), understandable by the lay person, had begun. This study explores the attitude of practising physicians toward written medication information for patients. A mail questionnaire was sent to 1500 (8% random sample) Belgian general practitioners and to 500 (22% random sample) internal medicine specialists. A total of 543 usable questionnaires were returned (27.5% return rate). Ninety-two percent of the physicians stated that their patients seldom or never requested additional information on drug efficacy or side effects, during routine consultation; 30% estimated that more than half of their patients read the PPI; 75% expect that a patient would experience side effects after reading about them in the PPI; 59% agreed that the PPI could help the patient react more adequately in unforeseen situations. It was possible to cluster the respondents in a stable segmentation of three clusters: moderately positive physicians (20%), ambiguous to neutral physicians (44%), physicians overtly negative to written drug information (36%). The low response rate to this extensive postal questionnaire limits the conclusions to a qualitative description of relevant clusters of respondents. In contrast with the opinion of physicians about patient readership, results from other studies indicate that the vast majority of patients read the package inserts.

European Legislation and Research Projects regarding Patient Education for Medication

In 1992 the European Community adopted Directive 92/27/EEC “On the labeling of medicinal products for human use and on package leaflets,” implementing the mandatory inclusion of full information leaflets written in understandable language in every medication package between January 1, 1994 and December 31, 1998. This article describes the features and historical motives of this new legislation. In addition, it reviews European research projects on the impact of written medication information.

Characteristics Associated With the Acceptance of Patient Medication Information Sheets Among Michigan Pharmacists

The dilfusion of innovation theory was used as a framework to examine differences between purchasers and nonpurchasers of a set of written medication information sheets sponsored by the Michigan Pharmacists Association. Self-administered questionnaires (n = 154) and follow-up telephone interviews 18 months later (n = 33) obtained data from Michigan pharmacists regarding socioeconomic, personality, communication, and practice behavior variables. Pharmacists' cynicism and their exposure to mass media about Ule sheets were the most highly correlated and predictive variables for purchasing the sheets. Pharmacists who purchased the sheets tended to use them as an innovation to improve their patient counseling behavior. The findings of the study suggest that pharmacists extensively involved in their professional organizations are more innovative in the distributive aspects of pharmacy and are more willing to try new practice ideas in patient counseling.