TITLE:
Patients’ Comprehension of the Medicine Information Given by Pharmaceutical Personnel at the Compounding Unit Pharmacy at a Tertiary Hospital in Northwestern Tanzania
AUTHORS:
Madulu Dotto, Stanley Mwita
KEYWORDS:
Patients’ Comprehension, Medicine Information, Pharmaceutical Personnel, Compounding
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.12 No.7,
July
11,
2025
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Pharmacies serve not only as medication dispensing points but also as key sites for patient education. Despite this, there is growing concern regarding patients’ comprehension of the information provided during medication dispensing. Thus, this study aimed to assess patients’ comprehension of medicine information provided by pharmaceutical personnel at the compounding unit pharmacy of a tertiary hospital in northwestern Tanzania. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Compounding Unit Pharmacy, one of the pharmacies located within Bugando Medical Centre (BMC). Data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. The comprehension was assessed and categorized into three levels: poor, moderate, or good. Results: A total of 223 participants were included in the study. Only 13.4% correctly identified the written generic names of their medications. Understanding of oral instructions was higher in specific details, such as the route of administration (95.5%), duration of medication (91.9%), and frequency of administration (83.9%). About half of the participants understood the number of units per dose (51.6%). Patients who were on three medications had the lowest rates of comprehension, with only 4.2% demonstrating good understanding. Conclusion: This study highlights inadequate patients’ understanding of medication information. To reduce the risk associated with inadequate medication information comprehension, a holistic approach is required, involving system-level interventions, customized pharmaceutical personnel training, and enhanced patient education strategies.