ABSTRACT
A não aderência e o não cumprimento ao tratamento medicamentoso são considerados graves problemas de saúde pública, podendo comprometer a eficácia da terapêutica. Assim, a presente pesquisa realizou um levantamento bibliográfico na base de dados Medline sobre a elaboração das bulas e seu efeito na compreensão do uso de medicamentos pelos pacientes. Observando os resultados foram constatados: dificuldade no entendimento das informações contidas nas bulas, as ilustrações auxiliam na compreensão, na aderência e no cumprimento ao tratamento e as ilustrações com informações escritas ou verbais são benéficas. Concluiu-se que uma linguagem de difícil compreensão e carregada de jargões técnicos, letras pequenas, ausência de ilustrações ou uso incorreto das mesmas nas bulas são elementos complicadores da aderência. Portanto, as informações contidas nas bulas devem ser claras, com linguagem de fácil compreensão, letras de tamanho adequado e devem detalhar como e quando administrar o medicamento; além disso, as ilustrações ajudam na compreensão do paciente e nos processos de aderência e cumprimento do tratamento medicamentoso.
The non-adherence to and non-compliance with the prescribed course of medication are considered serious public health problems that may threaten the effectiveness of therapy. This paper reports a literature search, in the Medline database, for data on the design of package inserts (drug information leaflets) and their effect on patient understanding of the use of medicines. The following points were noted among the results: users have difficulty in understanding the information in the leaflets, illustrations help the patient to understand, adhere to and comply with the treatment and illustrations with written or verbal information are beneficial. It was concluded that the incomprehensible language, full of technical jargon and small print, and the lack or misuse of pictures in these leaflets are factors that interfere with adherence. Therefore, the information contained in these inserts should be clear, expressed in plain language, printed in letters of adequate size and should detail how and when to take the drug; in addition, illustrations help the patient to understand the therapy and follow it correctly until the end of the prescribed period.
Subject(s)
Drug Utilization , Health Personnel , Medicine Package InsertsABSTRACT
Studies of cooking-generated NO2 effects are rare in occupational epidemiology. In the present study, we evaluated the lung function of professional cooks exposed to NO2 in hospital kitchens. We performed spirometry in 37 cooks working in four hospital kitchens and estimated the predicted FVC, FEV1 and FEF25-75, based on age, sex, race, weight, and height, according to Knudson standards. NO2 measurements were obtained for 4 consecutive days during 4 different periods at 20-day intervals in each kitchen. Measurements were performed inside and outside the kitchens, simultaneously using Palm diffusion tubes. A time/exposure indicator was defined as representative of the cumulative exposure of each cook. No statistically significant effect of NO2 exposure on FVC was found. Each year of work as a cook corresponded to a decrease in predicted FEV1 of 2.5 percent (P = 0.046) for the group as a whole. When smoking status and asthma were included in the analysis the effect of time/exposure decreased about 10 percent and lost statistical significance. On predicted FEF25-75, a decrease of 3.5 percent (P = 0.035) was observed for the same group and the inclusion of controllers for smoking status and asthma did not affect the effects of time/exposure on pulmonary function parameter. After a 10-year period of work as cooks the participants of the study may present decreases in both predicted FEV1 and FEF25-75 that can reach 20 and 30 percent, respectively. The present study showed small but statistically significant adverse effects of gas stove exposure on the lung function of professional cooks.