The effect of illustrations on patient comprehension of medication instruction labels

BACKGROUND: Labels with special instructions regarding how a prescription medication should be taken or its possible side effects are often applied to pill bottles. The goal of this study was to determine whether the addition of illustrations to these labels affects patient comprehension. METHODS: Study participants (N = 130) were enrolled by approaching patients at three family practice clinics in Toronto, Canada. Participants were asked to interpret two sets of medication instruction labels, the first with text only and the second with the same text accompanied by illustrations. Two investigators coded participants' responses as incorrect, partially correct, or completely correct. Health literacy levels of participants were measured using a validated instrument, the REALM test. RESULTS: All participants gave a completely correct interpretation for three out of five instruction labels, regardless of whether illustrations were present or not. For the two most complex labels, only 34–55% of interpretations of the text-only version were completely correct. The addition of illustrations was associated with improved performance in 5–7% of subjects and worsened performance in 7–9% of subjects. CONCLUSION: The commonly-used illustrations on the medication labels used in this study were of little or no use in improving patients' comprehension of the accompanying written instructions

[Photograph 2012.201.B1083.0158]

Photograph used for a story in the Daily Oklahoman newspaper. Caption: "Dick Reich - Basketball

U.S. Atomic Energy Commission Idaho Operations Office Report IDO-16871

Second volume of reports on the operation of nuclear test reactors. It includes six chapters: engineering description fo the materials testing reactor, reactor control components and instrumentation, reactor control circuitry, reactor operation, reactor shutdown and tank work, and supplemental facilities at the materials testing reactor

[Photograph 2012.201.B1083.0161]

Photograph used for a story in the Daily Oklahoman newspaper. Caption: "Dick Reich - Basketball

U.S. Atomic Energy Commission Idaho Operations Office Report IDO-16977

From summary: "Reactor fuel material consisting of U3Si particles embedded in an aluminum matrix have been examined with an electron microprobe to determine reaction between fuel particles and matrix. Partial reaction was observed with no observable tendency for the uranium or silicon to diffuse outward into the matrix

Double Creek Overall View of Site 2

Photograph of Double Creek, an overall view of the reservoir looking downstream

Double Creek Overall View

Photograph of Double Creek, an overall view of the reservoir looking upstream

Double Creek Overall View of Site 2

Photograph of Double Creek, an overall view of the reservoir looking upstream

Atomic Energy Commission Report AECD-3678

From summary: "This manual is designed for the purpose of clarifying operating procedures of the Materials Testing Reactor and its associated equipment. In assembling this manual a description of each item of equipment and its function is presented. In addition, the generally accepted method of operating the equipment and the best corrective measures concerning all emergencies that might be encountered are set forth herein. Descriptive drawings and written instructions pertaining to the equipment have been included to further clarify the manual.

MTR technical branch quarterly report.

Latest issue consulted: IDO-16394, Second Quarter 1957Description based on: IDO-16259, Fourth Quarter 1955Includes bibliographical references.IDO-16394 entitled "Quarterly Progress Report for MTR Technical Branches."Phillips Petroleum Company for the Atomic Energy CommissionMode of access: Internet.Continued in Third Quarter 1957 by: Quarterly Progress Report for MTR-ETR Technical Branches [i.e., MTR-ETR Technical Branches Quarterly Report]