Are Consumers Engaging in Protective Behaviors against Medication Errors?

Purpose: According to the Institute for Safe Medication Practices report (2002), medication errors are widespread and the effects are adverse. Consumers can prevent medication errors by engaging in protective behaviors, but limited studies have assessed such behaviors. This observational study examined the consumer's role in medication error prevention.

Methodology: Researchers observed customers who approached walk-up counters at eight pharmacies in Bryan/College Station, Texas. Consumer protective behaviors (CPB) were evaluated as consumers who: 1) examined the receipt on the outside of the bag, 2) looked inside the bag, and 3) read the medication label. Descriptive and Chi-square analyses were used to evaluate differences in CPB by gender, race, age, accompanied status, and consumer wait time. A total of 647 consumers were observed over a three-month period.

Results: The majority of consumers were female (60.7%), White (68.5%), between 18-30 years of age (34.8%), and alone (79.4%). Only 29.7% engaged in at least one CPB; 28.4% read the receipt, 13.3% looked inside the bag, and 10.7% read the medication label. Significantly higher CPB was noted among Asians (÷2 =0.002), older customers (÷2 =0.013), and those who were accompanied (÷2 <0.001) but did not vary by gender or consumer wait time.

Conclusion: The results suggest the need for consumer education and public health campaigns to increase consumer awareness for improving safety practices. Future studies should focus on collecting more accurate consumer data as well as pharmacy-consumer communications.